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imms  rotcm.  snwn 


THE    STORY    OF 

Sault  Ste.  Marie 

BY    STANLEY    NEWTON 


•-  t'-f'Spfe^'SfijsSm'^&lTOTO 


LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 

AT  URBANA-CHAMPAIGN 


UNIVERSITY  OF 
LIBRARY 
ATURBANA-CHA 
ILL.  HIST.  $'■ 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


http://archive.org/details/storyofsaultstemOOnewt 


The  Story  of 


SAULT  STE.  MARIE 

and  CHIPPEWA  COUNTY 


By 
STANLEY  NEWTON 


PUBLISHED  AT  SAULT  STE.  MARIE,  MICHIGAN 

1923 


THE  SAULT   NKWS   PRINTING   COMPANY 


DEDICATED 

TO 

YOU 


CONTENTS 


Bowating  in  Immemorial  Times 1-38 

Le  Saut  de  Gaston — The  Seventeenth  Century        .        .  38-78 

(Through  an  error  the  chapter  heading  was  omitted.  The  second  chapter  begins 
on  page  38  with  the  words  "some  years  ago  when  the  first  edition  of  this  work 
was  issued.") 

Le  Saut  de  Sainte  Marie — The  Eighteenth  Century  .  .  79-98 
Sault  Ste.  Marie— The  Nineteenth  Century  .  .  .  99-175 
"The  Soo"—  The  Twentieth  Century      ....         176-199 


542072 


TUB  LAND  OF  TUB  NORTH. 

There  is  a  glamor  in  thy  singing  pines, 

There  is  a  glint  upon  thy  hardy  flowers, 
A  lusty  beauty  in  the  forest  vines 

Proclaims  the  magic  of  thy  sunny  hours; 
Thou  subtle  North!  where  diverse  spells  beguile 

And  land  and  lake  conspire  to  tease  the  eye, 
So  it  might  rove  from  witching  wile  to  wile, 

From  hill  to  wave,  from  stream  to  sapphire  sky 
Bring  to  this  pageant  all  the  glorious  past, 

Blend  with  these  charms  tradition' s  rosy  glow ; 
Cherish  thy  gallants,  heroes  first  to  last, — 

It  is  thy  richer  crown,  the  lore  of  long  ago! 


BOWATING  IN  IMMEMORIAL  TIMES 


"Aboriginal  history  on  this  continent,"  says  Schoolcraft, 
"is  more  celebrated  for  preserving  its  fables  than  its  facts.  A 
world  growing  out  of  a  tortoise's  back — the  globe  reconstructed 
from  the  earth  clutched  in  a  muskrat's  paw,  after  a  deluge, — 
such  are  the  fables  or  allegories  from  which  we  are  to  frame 
their  ancient  history." 

Such  criticism  seems  unjust.  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  who 
was  certainly  a  much  greater  man  than  Henry  Rowe  School- 
craft, was  fond  of  saying  that  history  is  a  lie  agreed  upon. 
Now  if  we  agree  to  this — and  many  of  us  do — we  cannot 
impugn  consistently  the  Ojibways'  stories  of  their  origin,  their 
forbears,  their  achievements  and  their  gods.  When  an  In- 
dian good  friend  of  mine  tells  me  that  the  demi-god  Mani- 
bosho  found  safety  in  a  tree  when  the  world  was  deluged,  and 
afterward  builded  another  world  from  the  abysmal  ooze  which 
a  hell-diver  brought  him,  I  am  an  interested  listener.  Further, 
when  I  am  told  that  the  Sault  rapids  were  cnce  at  Iroquois  Point, 
where  a  giant  dam  stretched  from  cape  to  cape,  and  that  Mani- 
bosho  killed  his  wife  for  not  guarding  the  dam  in  his  absence, 
I  am  convinced.  For  I  have  seen  the  old  lady  lying  there  on 
the  Goulais  side  of  Gros  Cap,  turned  to  red  stone  and  half 
submerged  in  the  waters  of  Lake  Superior, 

Believed  by  Ojibways 

At  least  I  am  as  much  convinced  as  my  informant  would 
be  if  I  told  him  the  story  of  Noah  and  the  Ark.  Neither  version 
is  capable  of  proof,    each  must  be  taken  on   faith. 

Great  numbers  of  Ojibway  Indians,  commonly  called  Chip- 
pewas  have  believed  the  stories  I  am  about  to  relate.  For  all 
1  know,  many  of  them  still  believe.  These  stories  are  placed 
in  the  opening  chapters  of  this  book,  with  a  brief  examination 
of  the  ancient  life  of  the  Bowating  Indians,  in  order  that  you 
may  the  better  understand  the  reaction  of  Indian  to  white  man 
in  the  recorded  history  which  follows. 

Every  normal  white  man  or  woman  is  just  naturally  inter- 
ested in  Indians.  They  were  our  first  families.  Their  roving 
lives,  wild  and  free,  their  deer  and  bear  hunting,  their  burnings 
at  the  stake,  the  devilishly  painted  face,  the  tomahawk,  the 
scalping  knife,  the  necklace  of  scalps,  the  medicine  man,  the 
unsurpassed  Indian  orator  in  council,  the  pipe  of  peace — ah, 
what  a  treasure  trove  of  breathless  interest  are  these!  He  who 
eyes  for  the  first  time  an  old  Indian  stone  axe,  instinctively 
visualizes  the  skulls  it  has  split.  The  child  on  your  knee  by  the 
evening  fire  craves  Injun  stories.  There's  a  wonderfully  satis- 
fying thrill  in  the  yelling,  galloping  Indian  at  the  Wild  West 
show. 


The  Home  of  Manito 

We  of  the  North  take  a  decent  pride  in  the  wildness  of 
our  ancient  Indians.  They  were  as  fierce,  as  gentle,  as  high- 
minded,  as  eloquent,  as  cruel,  as  efficient  in  their  way  as  any 
other  tribes  the  continent  has  mothered.  This  north  country 
was  the  home  of  Manito,  The  Great  Spirit.  It  was  the  abiding 
place  of  Manibosho,  Protector  of  all  good  Chippewas.  And 
by  the  way,  when  you  pronounce  the  name  of  the  Chippewas* 
demigod,  bring  it  up  as  it  were  from  the  bottom  of  your  lungs, 
accent  on  the  last  syllable  almost  to  the  point  of  coughing, — 
Manibo-sho,  a  most  remarkable  being  worthy  of  your  deepest 
consideration,  whose  grandmother  was  a  toad,  and  whose 
great-grandmother  was  the  Moon.  You  may  doubt  this  state- 
ment, but  I  defy  you  to  disprove  it.  And  his  true,  his  authentic 
home  was  on  the  very  spot  where  this  book  was  written  and 
printed. 

Once  upon  a  time  the  banks  of  St.  Mary's  River  at  the 
rapids  were  the  greatest  Indian  camping  place  in  the  whole 
Northwest  if  not  in  America.  Here  was  the  Chippewa  capital, 
the  great  central  meeting-place  from  time  immemorial.  Here 
was  the  joining  of  the  three  greatest  lakes — Gitchi  Gumi,  or  Su- 
perior; Meetchigong,  or  Michigan;  and  Tionnontateronnon,  or 
Huron  and  Georgian  Bay.  Hither  the  northern  Indian  gravi- 
tated by  birch-bark  canoe  in  summer,  or  by  snow-shoe  over 
the  smooth  frozen  surfaces  in  winter.  The  deer-hunting  was 
good.  The  rapids  afforded  a  seldom  failing  supply  of  de- 
licious whitefish,  a  food  of  which  one  never  tires.  The  fertile 
clay  meadows  along  the  river  yielded  hardy  Indian  corn  abund- 
antly. Fire-wood  was  plentiful.  The  Chippewas  were  pow- 
erful and  content,  and  held  their  wigwams  and  the  revered 
resting  place  of  their  dead  against  all  comers.  It  was  a  northern 
Indian  paradise. 

The  Story  of  Wabish 

Let  us  go  back  in  fancy  to  the  year  1  600,  half  a  century 
or  so  before  the  first  white  man  ascended  the  mighty  river, 
and  consider  the  life  of  a  typical  Chippewa  Indian  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  what  is  now  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

Wabish  was  born  at  dawn  of  a  June  morning  on  the 
present  site  of  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  postoffice.  He  first  saw 
the  light  of  day  in  a  pole  and  bark  wigwam,  one  of  the  many 
constructed  here  by  the  women  of  his  band.  Their  hands 
had  cut  and  dragged  from  the  woods  near  by  the  young  trees 
constituting  the  framework  of  the  dwelling.  These  trees  had 
been  trimmed  and  stuck  in  the  ground  in  a  quadrangular 
parallelogram,  the  longest  sides  running  from  the  entrance  to 
the  back  of  the  hut.  Two  trees  were  planted  in  front,  forming 
the  door,  and  two  at  the  rear,  where  the  seat  of  honor  was 

2 


raised.  The  side  rows  of  trees  had  been  bent  forward  at  their 
tops,  and  the  ends  twisted  around  each  other  and  secured  with 
tough  bast  of  the  cedar  tree.  The  skeleton  thus  formed  was 
clothed  with  apakwas  or  rolls  of  birch-bark,  the  operation  of 
covering  having  begun  at  the  bottom.  The  second  row  hung 
down  over  the  first,  thus  shedding  the  rain,  and  a  third  and 
fourth  row  completed  the  sides.  Other  apakwas  were  thrown 
crossways  over  the  hut,  and  were  weighted  with  stones  hang^ 
ing  from  cords  of  sinews.  There  was  a  smoke-hole  in  the  centef 
of  the  roof,  and  a  mat  of  deer-skins  over  the  space  left  as  a 
doorway. 

Immediately  after  his  birth  young  Wabish  ke  pe  nace — 
for  so  his  father  named  him — was  stretched  out  by  the  mid- 
wives  in  the  waiting  cradle  or  tikinagan.  His  tender  limbs  were 
laid  straight  on  a  board  of  poplar  wood  on  which  a  thin 
peeled  frame,  also  of  poplar,  was  fastened,  conforming  in 
shape  to  his  body,  and  standing  up  like  the  sides  of  a  violin 
from  its  sounding-board.  A  stout  mat  over  this  completed  a 
cavity  in  which  he  was  carefully  packed  in  a  mixture  composed 
of  dry  moss,  rotted  cedar  wood  and  the  wool  from  the  seeds 
of  water-reeds  and  cat-o'-nine  tails.  But  first  his  feet  were 
placed  exactly  perpendicular,  parallel,  and  close  together. 
Thus,  even  in  the  cradle,  care  was  taken  that  they  should  not 
turn  outward.  A  Chippewa  Indian  must  be  a  good  walker, 
and  Wabish,  when  he  grew  up,  covered  a  good  inch  more 
ground  at  each  step  than  the  coming  white  men  who  turned 
their  feet  out.  There  was  the  winter  to  think  of,  too,  and  the 
straight  ahead  footing  on  snow-shoes.  The  women  paid  great 
attention  to  his  nose  also,  and  tried  to  pull  it  out  as  long  as  the 
cartilage  remained  soft,  for  a  large  nose  was  an  ornament 
among  the  Chippewas. 

Names  Dreamed  by  Others 

Shortly  after  the  boy's  birth,  his  father  proceeded  to 
dream  for  a  name  for  him.  You  must  understand  that  some 
Chippewa  fathers  named  their  children  after  a  particular  phe- 
nomenon of  nature  occuring  about  the  time  of  its  birth.  Others 
commemorated  in  such  names  the  happening  of  anything  un- 
usual among  the  people  or  animals  in  the  vicinity  of  the  birth- 
place. But  commonly  a  name  was  selected  that  was  based  on 
one  of  the  fantastic  dreams  constantly  experienced  by  the  In- 
dians, and  which  exerted  so  tremendous  an  influence  on  their 
daily  lives 

The  father,  then,  dreamed  for  a  name,  and  having  seen 
a  gull  in  his  dream,  he  called  the  boy  Wabish  ke  pe  nace,  The 
White  Bird.  When  the  lad  grew  old  enough  to  have  com- 
panions they  shortened  this  name  of  course  to  Wabish,  which 
is  to  say,  White.     Wabish  is  the  Chippewa  name  for  rabbit,  the 


animal  which  turns  white  in  winter.  Wabish  was  well  named, 
for  the  day  came  when  he  was  as  fleet  as  any  rabbit,  when  he 
could  run  down  and  tire  out  the  fleet-footed  deer  in  the  forest, 
especially  after  snow  had  fallen.  But  in  the  council-house 
yy/^i?11  formal  occasions  ne  was-  wnen  grown  to  man's  estate, 
Wabish  ke  pe  nace,  and  he  took  as  his  device  and  painted  on 
his  war  axe  the  totem  sign  of  his  band,  the  Crane. 

Early  Training  for  War 

In  the  years  of  his  childhood  even  his  toys  were  warlike. 
He  played  with  arrowheads  and  flints,  and  his  father  made  for 
him  a  tiny  war-club,  lightly  weighted  at  the  end  with  pebbles 
sewn  in  deerskin.  He  tickled  the  ribs  of  his  playmates  with 
real  arrows  shot  from  a  small  bow.  He  learned  to  swim  in 
the  river's  shallow  waters  where  Brady  Field  now  stretches, 
for  at  that  time  the  river  bank  was  just  north  of  the  lodge 
where  he  was  born.  He  learned  to  make  rabbit-snares  and 
dreamed  of  the  day  when  he  might  dead-fall  a  bear.  He  wore 
crackly  hides  of  the  red  deer,  skins  scraped,  stretched,  tanned 
and  sewed  by  his  mother.  The  spring  of  the  year  found  him 
on  Sugar  Island  with  his  parents,  where  they  gashed  hundreds 
of  trees  for  the  sweet  sap  which  he  never  tired  of  licking  from 
his  fingers.  He  helped  to  make  the  birch-bark  kettles — in- 
flammable receptacles  which  did  not  burn  when  filled  with  sap 
and  hung  over  the  fire.  He  collected  dozy  maple  wood  and 
moss  for  his  father,  who  each  morning  started  the  fire  in  no 
time  by  holding  a  flint  stone  over  the  tindery  mass  and  strik- 
ing sparks  into  it  with  a  piece  of  granite.  It  was  almost  as 
handy  as  a  pocket  full  of  matches. 

When  the  hunting  was  poor  and  the  whitefish  failed  to 
run  in  the  rapids,  Wabish  lived  for  days  on  maple  sugar  and 
waxed  fat  on  it.  He  knew  where  the  wild  onions  and  cucum- 
bers grew  in  season  and  found  many  a  bed  of  truffles  or  In- 
dian potatoes  in  the  black  loamy  soil  on  the  edge  of  the  swamp. 
He  took  his  meat  roasted  underdone.  Sometimes  his  mother 
prepared  it  on  spits  from  which  the  bitter  bark  had  been  care- 
fully removed.  Or  for  a  change  she  would  heat  a  rock  red 
hot  by  building  a  fire  upon  it,  afterwards  roasting  the  meat 
on  the  surface  where  fire  had  been.  This  process  she  varied 
by  firing  a  small  pit  which  she  used  for  an  oven  for  the  meat 
and  fish.  Some  gritty  sand  came  out  with  the  food,  but  the 
sand  was  clean.  And  for  many  summer  weeks  he  took  his  fill 
of  strawberries  and  blueberries  which  grew  in  unbelieveable 
profusion  all  around.  By  and  large  he  lived  well,  and  if  in  the 
long  winter  the  deer  went  far  back  into  the  country  and  the 
whitefish  forsook  the  open  rapids  for  a  time,  he  usually  found 
the  family  with  a  supply  of  jerked  venison  and  smoked  white- 
fish  hanging  from  the  cross-pieces  of  the  paternal  nest,  and 
dined  nearly  as  well  as  ever. 


River  Was  His  Foster-Mother 

The  mighty  river  was  his  foster-mother,  as  it  is  ours.  For 
untold  centuries  it  was  the  Chippewa  highway.  Winter  and 
summer  its  heavenly  manna  of  whitefish  fed  the  multitudes. 
Wabish  knew  that  the  whitefish  grew  from  the  brain  of  a 
wicked  adulteress  who  had  been  cast  into  the  rapids  to  drown, 
and  whose  head  had  been  dashed  to  pieces  on  the  shining 
black  rocks. 

Every  now  and  then  the  medicine-man  or  jossakeed  of  the 
Saulteur  Chippewas  propitiated  the  fishing-nets  of  the  tribe  and 
persuaded  them  to  make  great  catches  of  fish,  by  marrying  the 
nets  to  young  girls  of  the  band  with  formal  and  solemn  cere- 
monies. As  it  was  indispensable  that  the  brides  should  be 
virgins  mere  children  were  chosen.  Now  this  may  appear 
absurd  to  you,  but  did  not  the  Spirit  of  the  nets  appear  to  the 
forefathers  of  the  Chippewas,  saying  that  he  had  lost  his  wife 
and  must  have  another  equally  as  virtuous?  Wabish  realized 
that  if  the  ceremony  was  neglected,  or  girls  provided  who  were 
not  immaculate,  he  would  catch  no  more  fish,  and  he  was  grate- 
ful to  the  jossakeed  accordingly. 

Fish  Addressed  from  the  Banks 

The  fish  no  less  than  the  nets  required  propitiation.  On  an 
evening  they  were  eloquently  addressed  from  the  banks  at  the 
foot  of  the  rapids,  flattered,  complimented,  and  exhorted  to 
come  and  be  caught,  with  the  assurance  that  the  utmost  re- 
spect would  be  shown  to  their  bones.  This  oration  was  ac- 
cording to  the  form  laid  down  from  olden  times,  and  while 
it  lasted  those  present  except  the  jossakeed  were  required  to 
lie  flat  on  their  backs  and  refrain  from  speaking  a  word. 

In  those  days  St.  Mary's  River  and  its  environs  swarmed 
with  Manitos,  little  gods,  very  potent  for  good  or  evil,  mostly 
evil.  All  Nature  was  spiritualized  by  Wabish  and  his  friends. 
Every  tree,  rock,  wind,  stream  and  star  had  a  spirit.  The 
thunder  was  an  angry  spirit,  the  milky  way  was  the  path  of 
spirits  on  their  way  to  celestial  hunting-grounds  beyond  the 
Northern  Lights.  The  four  cardinal  points  were  spirits,  the 
west  being  the  oldest  and  the  father  of  the  others.  Their  moth- 
er was  a  beautiful  girl  who  one  day  had  permitted  the  west 
wind  to  blow  upon  her. 

Then  there  were  endless  legends  of  windigos,  great  giants 
and  cannibals,  and  tiny  spirits  and  fays  who  haunted  the  woods, 
and  the  cataracts  of  Bowating  and  Tahquamenon.  The 
Nibanaba  mermaids,  half  fish,  half  woman,  frolicked  in  the 
waters  of  Lake  Superior.  Many  animals  had  a  miraculous 
origin.  The  raccoon,  for  instance,  was  once  a  shell  lying  on 
the  lake  shore,  until  vivified  by  the  sunbeam.  The  Chippewa 
name  for  raccoon,  Ais  e  bun,  means  "he  was  a  shell." 


Stones  Contained  Spirits 

Wabish  never  wantonly  stepped  on  any  of  the  big  boulders 
in  St.  Mary's  Rapids.  He  held  them  sacred,  for  he  knew  that 
a  living  spirit  of  flesh  and  blood  breathed  within  their  thin, 
hard  shells. 

Once  his  father  took  Wabish  to  the  funeral  of  a  chief  on 
Michilimackinac,  and  the  boy's  knees  fluttered  as  he  stood  be- 
fore Sugar  Loaf,  the  abode  of  The  One  Great  Spirit,  the  Maker 
of  all.  There  he  knelt  in  awed  silence  behind  his  father,  who 
left  votive  offerings.  Not  his  tribe  alone  worshipped  here; 
hither  came  also  the  Hurons,  Ottawas,  Potawatomies,  and 
Sioux  in  superstitious  reverence.  Even  the  blood-thirsty 
Iroquois,  having  drifted  no.lh  on  some  wild  foray,  laid  aside 
their  arms  for  a  moment  and  meditated  here.  For,  eons  before, 
the  divine  Gitchi  Manito  had  taken  residence  in  this  mighty 
thumb  of  rock,  when  he  flew  from  the  north  through  Arch 
Rock  to  the  Loaf.  Wabish  sensed  the  impenetrable  dignity 
and  majesty  of  the  place  and  its  occupant,  and  felt  the  ground 
was  sacred.  Indeed,  so  sacred  had  the  ancient  Chippewas 
held  it,  that  Michilimackinac  was  inhabited  by  Indians  only  in 
comparative  recent  times.  Formerly  it  was  left  to  Gitchi 
Manito  and  the  dead.  It  was  the  sanctuary  of  the  benign 
Keeper  of  Souls,  who  welcomed  in  silence  the  supplications 
and  sacrifices  of  his  living  red  children  and  spread  his  protect- 
ing mantle  over  the  shades  of  the  departed. 


A  Manito  Tree  at  Bowating 

Wabish,  then,  enjoyed  his  visit  to  the  national  shrine,  and 
was  mightily  interested,  but  he  did  not  neglect  his  local  re- 
ligious duties.  There  was  a  Manito  tree  at  Bowating,  on  the 
present  site  of  Bingham  avenue  bridge.  This  tree  was  a  big 
mountain-ash,  and  sometimes  even  on  calm  and  cloudless  days 
Wabish  and  his  friends  heard  the  sound  of  distant  war-drums 
rolling  among  its  leaves.  They  knew  from  this  that  the  tree 
was  the  abode  of  spirits,  and  they  deemed  it  sacred.  So  they 
made  frequent  offerings  there,  and  their  descendants  continued 
to  add  to  the  pile  at  its  foot  even  after  a  storm  had  wrecked 
the  tree,  until  at  last  the  whites  cleared  the  ruins  away  and 
violated  the  site  with  a  wagon  road. 

Almost  upon  the  site  of  the  Chippewa  County  court-house 
there  was  formerly  a  limestone  boulder  of  huge  dimensions, 
where  no  doubt  Wabish  came  often  for  devotions.  One  side  of 
this  stone  was  covered  with  Indian  inscriptions  and  picture 
writing.  Clearly  the  stone  was  regarded  as  a  Manito's  dwelling 
by  the  ancient  Chippewas,  and  tradition  tells  us  that  many 
worshipped  there.  When  the  contract  was  made  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  court-house,   Judge  Steere,      recognizing      the 


value  of  the  stone  as  an  historical  and  ethnological  landmark, 
arranged  with  the  contractor  to  guard  carefully  this  boulder 
from  desecration.  But  in  the  absence  of  the  contractor  some  of 
his  men  built  a  fire  against  the  stone  and  cracked  off  the  face 
bearing  the  inscriptions.  Afterward  the  rock  was  broken  into 
pieces  and  used   for  building. 

On  the  premises  of  a  Ridge  street  home  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
there  is  a  peculiar  stone  about  six  feet  square,  which  probably 
was  venerated  by  the  Chippewas  as  the  home  of  a  Manito.  The 
stone  bears  no  glyphs,  but  the  Indians  say  it  was  once  much 
larger  than  at  present,  and  was  believed  by  their  ancestors  t<i 
be  the  abode  of  a  Spirit  to  whom  they  prayed. 

Wabish  had  a  regard  amounting  almost  to  veneration  for 
his  family  sign  or  totem,  the  Crane.  When  as  a  brave  he  went 
to  war,  he  painted  the  sign  of  the  Crane  in  vermilion  upon  his 
forehead.  Most  of  his  Saulteur  friends  belonged  to  the  Crane 
or  the  Owl  band.  The  Chippewas  in  the  vicinity  of  Michili- 
mackinac  were  the  sons  of  the  Turtle.  Others  wore  the  Snake 
insignia,  or  the  Wolf,  the  Bear,  or  the  Weasel. 

Totem  Denoted  Town  or  Branch 

The  word  "totem"  appears  to  have  been  derived  from  the 
Indian  word  for  "town."  It  is  likely  that  the  inhabitants  of  a 
town  or  village  once  were  considered  to  be  of  the  same  family 
or  clan,  consequently  they  all  assumed  the  same  badge  or 
totem.  The  symbol  became  the  evidence  of  consanguinity, 
hence  the  importance  of  totems,  which  denoted  the  family 
branch.  The  meanest  Indian  had  his  totem.  He  took  pride  in 
his  ancestry,  followed  its  honorable  traditions  and  strove  to 
measure  up  to  the  greatest  of  his  clan.  But  when  he  married  his 
wife  retained  her  family  mark. 

Wabish  became  a  great  traveler,  and  often  used  his  totem 
mark  when  traversing  the  forests,  to  convey  desired  intelli- 
gence to  his  friends.  He  would  take  a  piece  of  birch-bark  and 
scrawl  his  totem  thereon  with  a  coal,  and  the  totems  of  any 
other  travelers  or  hunters  accompanying  him,  drawing  each 
in  size  of  the  order  of  his  importance.  If  at  the  time  of  writing 
he  had  been  absent  say  three  days  from  Bowating,  he  drew 
three  suns  on  the  bark.  If  any  of  the  party  had  died  or  suf- 
fered serious  accident,  he  was  represented  without  a  head  or 
lying  on  his  side.  This  sign-writing  Wabish  would  place  in  the 
cleft  of  a  pole,  angling  the  pole  in  the  direction  he.  was  going. 
In  summer  he  left  beneath  it  a  handful  of  green  leaves,  and 
the  degree  of  their  withering  conveyed  a  good  idea  of  the  time 
he  had  passed  that  way.  In  winter  his  snow-shoe  tracks  told 
their  own  story. 

Long  Snow-Shoe  Trips 

When  Wabish' s  ancestors  invented  the  snow-shoe  they  con- 


ceived  something  wonderfully  adapted  to  its  purpose.  Wabish 
learned  to  make  his  own  snow-shoes  and  found  them  indis- 
pensable for  winter  travelling  in  the  Bowating  country.  The 
only  wood  he  used  in  their  construction  was  their  encircling 
bows  and  the  cross-pieces,  the  rest  being  made  of  interlaced 
thongs  of  buckskin,  deer  sinews  or  rawhide.  Though  light, 
his  shoes  were  strong  enough  to  support  his  weight  easily  even 
in  very  soft  snow.  His  heelless  moccasins  adjusted  themselves 
perfectly  to  the  shoes,  and  he  kept  his  feet  and  legs  warm  on 
the  trail  by  strips  of  "nip,"  or  fur,  wound  around  them.  The 
snow-shoes  were  attached  only  at  the  toes,  so  that  when  his 
feet  rose  in  walking,  the  tails  of  the  shoes  dragged  and  needed 
to  be  lifted  partially  only.  Wabish  once  walked  on  snow-shoes 
from  Bowating  to  Michilimackinac  in  a  day,  a  distance  of  sixty 
miles.  Stretches  of  seventy-five  miles  by  Chippewas  in  a  day 
were  not  uncommon.  More  than  once  Wabish  ran  down  a  deer 
on  his  snow-shoes,  for  the  narrow  hoofs  of  the  deer  did  not 
support  them  in  the  soft  snow. 

Another  striking  characteristic  of  old  Bowating,  used  by 
Wabish  and  his  fellow-Chippewas,  was  the  dog-train.  In  an- 
cient times  nearly  every  Indian  of  any  importance  had  his  dog- 
train.  Thousands  of  people  now  living  in  the  north  do  not 
know  what  a  dog-train  is. 

The  train  was  a  thin  board  of  elm  or  other  tough  wood,  about 
fifteen  inches  wide  and  four  to  six  feet  long.  The  front  of  the 
board  was  turned  up  and  lashed  back,  with  cross-pieces  or 
stiffeners  along  th?  top  of  the  board,  and  cords  or  thongs  run- 
ning along  each  side.  The  modern  toboggan  is  white  civiliza- 
tion's adaptation  of  the  Chippewa  dog-train.  The  train  was 
made  flat  and  broad  of  course  that  it  might  draw  easily  on 
lightly  crusted  snow,  and  the  load  was  strapped  to  the  train. 

Dogs  Pulled  Heavy  Loads 

The  dogs  used  by  Wabish  and  his  pals  were  good-sized 
ones  of  no  particular  species,  though  commonly  dark  in  color. 
The  Chippewa  dogs  probably  descended  from  Arctic  wolves 
caught  young  and  brought  down  to  Bowating  land  centuries 
ago,  when  the  tribe  made  its  migration  from  Asia — if  indeed 
the  tribal  influx  came  that  way.  They  were  harnessed  some- 
what as  horses  are  harnessed,  having  breast-straps  to  which  the 
traces  were  attached.  The  dogs  were  driven  either  tandem 
or  two  abreast,  and  two  dogs  could  draw  about  600  pounds 
on  a  good  road.  When  the  road  was  heavy  or  hilly  Wabish 
would  walk  ahead  of  the  dogs  on  snow-shoes,  and  another  In- 
dian behind  held  a  line  fastened  to  the  rear  of  the  train,  with 
which  he  checked  it  when  going  down  hill. 

On  a  long  journey  the  food  for  the  dogs  was  corn  meal 
cooked  with  a  little  tallow.       This  kept  the  dogs  in  good  work- 


ing  condition  without  fattening  them.  Each  winter  found 
the  Bowating  dogs  fit  and  eager  for  work  or  play,  and  many 
a  dog-train  race  had  Wabish  with  the  teams  of  his  cronies  on  the 
level  winter  ice  below  the  rapids. 

The  Saulteur  Chippewas  employed  canoes  almost  as  con- 
stantly as  other  nomadic  races  do  horses  or  camels.  In  the  long 
days  of  summer  Wabish  fairly  lived  in  his  birch-bark.  Bowating 
was  the  home  of  the  birch  tree,  and  here  Manibosho  had  taught 
his  children  how  to  make  their  fairy-like  and  feathery  canoes 
from  the  bark  of  the  birch. 

Makes  Real  Canoe 

It  was  Wabish's  uncle  who  showed  the  boy  how  to  make 
a  real  canoe.  Just  above  the  rapids  was  a  grove  of  birch  trees, 
and  to  these  the  man  and  boy  made  their  appeal,  not  in  the 
fabled  words  of  Hiawatha — 

Lay  aside  your  cloak,  O  birch-tree! 
Lay  aside  your  white-skin  wrapper — 

but  with  good  sharp  axes  of  stone.  They  picked  the  largest 
and  smoothest  trees,  so  that  the  piece  of  bark  might  be  as  large 
and  clean  as  possible,  and  less  sewing  would  be  necessary. 
They  scraped  and  scraped  with  stones  the  inner  side  of  the 
fresh  bark,  just  as  a  tanner  does  a  hide.  These  great  leaves  of 
bark  they  brought  to  the  squaws  in  the  village,  who  sewed 
ihem  with  bone  needles  and  spruce-root  thread  into  sheets  big 
enough  to  cover  the  whole  frame  of  the  canoe.  The  boy's 
uncle,  My  een  gun,  The  Wolf,  and  Wabish  meanwhile  made  the 
framework  of  the  boat  from  the  elastic  branches  of  cedar  trees. 
The  Wolf  was  the  expert  canoe-builder  of  his  clan,  and  he  kept 
back  of  his  wigwam  on  the  shore  two  or  three  rude  models 
of  canoes,  around  one  of  which  he  now  bent  the  branches  or 
ribs  of  Wabish's  canoe. 

These  ribs  were  peeled  almost  unbelievably  thin  by  The 
Wolf,  as  he  explained  to  Wabish  the  prime  necessity  of  light- 
ness and  easy  carriage  in  a  canoe.  Then  he  fastened  thin 
cross-pieces  between  the  upper  ends  of  the  ribs.  Wabish 
thought  at  first  they  were  very  narrow  seats,  much  too  narrow, 
but  they  served  merely  to  give  strength  to  the  sides. 

No  Nails  or  Screws  Needed 

In  modern  boats  the  ribs  are  supported  by  the  keel,  from 
which  they  stand  out  like  branches  of  a  tree.  But  Wabish's 
canoe  had  no  keel,  and  the  ribs  and  cross-pieces  were  tied 
necessarily  to  a  piece  of  wood  at  the  top.  This  strip  ran  all 
the  way  around  the  gunwale  of  the  boat,  so  that,  in  lieu  of  a 
keel,  it  acted  as  the  back  bone  of  the  canoe. 


There  wasn't  a  nail  or  screw  in  the  whole  affair.  Every- 
thing was  sewn,  tied,  or  pitched  together.  And  the  seams, 
stitches  and  knots  were  so  strong,  so  regular,  firm  and  artistic 
that  nails  weren't  needed  at  all.  The  bast  of  cedars  made  a 
perfect  substitute. 

The  framework  had  been  made  in  this  way  by  the  two,  with 
much  advice  and  some  assistance  by  lookers-on,  the  bark  cov- 
ering was  spread  out  on  the  ground  and  the  skeleton  laid  over 
it.  When  the  bark  was  pulled  up  over  the  frame  the  job  looked 
for  all  the  world  like  the  handiwork  of  a  cobbler  upon  a  giant 
shoe,  with  the  leather  wrapped  around  a  huge  last.  With  great 
care  they  drew  the  bark  sheet  as  tightly  as  possible  around  the 
fiame,  and  turned  down  the  edges  over  the  gunwale  strip,  to 
which  they  firmly  bound  them.  Finally,  a  reinforcement  of 
birch-bark  armor  was  fastened  all  along  the  edge,  protecting 
in  some  small  measure  the  frail  craft  from  the  coming  inevitable 
bumps. 

After  this  they  lined  the  bottom  of  the  canoe  with  thin 
strips,  laid  across  the  ribs  and  lengthwise  of  the  canoe.  These 
were  vital,  but  for  their  protection  even  the  soft-moccasined 
foot  of  Wabish  would  have  punctured  the  canoe-bottom  as  if 
it  had  been  paper.  Birch-barks  were  not  suited  to  the  nailed 
boots  of  the  whites,  or  to  the  carriage  of  their  heavy  iron-shod 
boxes.  They  welcomed  only  the  pussy-footing  tread  of  the 
Indian  or  the  soft  thud  of  his  bundles  of  furs. 

When  the  women  of  Bowating  had  nothing  else  to  do,  they 
always  found  a  demand  for  wa  tap,  the  twisted  thin  split  roots 
of  the  spruce.  They  could  make  either  fine  twine  or  heavy 
stout  cords  from  these  roots,  and  great  quantities  were  used 
yearly  at  Bowating,  in  fishing-nets  as  well  as  the  building  of 
boats.  The  ropes  or  cords  in  the  nets  used  so  freely  in  the 
rapids  were  often  fifty  yards  long.  These  strong  nets  resisted 
the  action  of  the  water  for  years.  When  laid  up  they  became 
very  dry  and  brittle,  but  a  good  damping  made  them  supple  as 
leather  again. 

Wabish' s  canoe  was  sharp,  front  and  back,  it  was  slightly 
broader  in  front,  and  the  ends  stood  up  a  little.  A  small 
piece  of  wood  was  inserted  in  either  end,  to  lend  increased 
strength  to  the  frame;  and  on  one  of  these  Wabish  painted  with 
infinite  care,  and  on  the  other  he  carved  with  infinite  labor, 
facsimiles  of  his  paternal  totem,  the  Crane.  The  ends  of  his 
craft  he  also  daubed  most  beautifully  and  artistically  with  yel- 
low ochre  and  vermilion  from  the  south  shore  of  Gitchi  Gumi. 

Fills  Holes  With  Resin 

The  final  process  was  one  of  pitching  and  repitching  all 
the  little  holes,  seams  and  stitches  in  the  canoe.  For  this  pur- 
pose the  heated  resin  of  the  pine  or  fir  was  used  freely.        The 

ID 


weak  parts  of  the  bark,  or  the  holes  of  small  branches  were  also 
plastered  with  this  water-defying  resin  or  pitch. 

Wabish  paddled  his  canoe  in  much  the  same  manner  as 
Charon  propelled  his  bark  on  the  river  Styx,  or  as  men  and 
women  have  used  paddles  in  small  boats  the  world  over.  His 
paddle  was  short  and  broad,  made  of  cedar,  light  and  tough. 
But  on  long  water- journeys  he  carried  paddles  of  hard  maple, 
alternately  kneeling  on  the  fur-covered  strips,  or  sitting  on  the 
small  seat  slung  from  the  stiffened  gunwale  by  thongs  of  raw- 
hide. 

Wabish' s  first  canoe  accommodated  two  people.  It  lasted 
four  years  because  he  took  great  care  of  it.  After  he  became 
proficient  in  canoe-making  he  waxed  careless,  and  sometimes  a 
canoe  lasted  him  but  a  moon  or  two.  Then,  too,  he  was  for- 
ever shooting  the  rapids,  and  forever  getting  nicked  there. 
When  this  happened  he  found  it  wise  to  seek  the  shore  without 
undue  delay.  Sometimes  he  brought  his  craft  to  the  beach; 
occasionally  the  knife-thin  bark  took  water  so  quickly  that  it 
sank  beneath  him  and  he  had  to  swim  for  it.  That  meant  an- 
other canoe,  generally  a  better  and  more  elaborate  one. 

Canoes  Light  and  Graceful 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  lightness  and  grace  of  Wabish' s 
canoes  in  the  water,  or  their  ease  of  carriage  out  of  it.  Each 
was 

Like  a  yellow  leaf  of  autumn, 
Like  a  yellow  water-lily, 
And  the  forest's  life  was  in  it, 
All  its  mystery  and  magic, 
All  the  lightness  of  the  birch-tree, 
All  the  toughness  of  the  cedar, 
All  the  larch's  supple  sinews. 

Wabish  realized  this,  and  gave  great  praise  to  Manibosho, 
who  was  the  real  inventor  of  the  birch-bark  canoe  and  who  be- 
stowed it  upon  the  Chippewas  thousands  of  years  ago.  This 
act  of  invention  he  was  able  to  visualize  much  more  clearly 
after  he  visited  Manitoulin  Island,  and  saw  there  the  very  rocks 
between  which  Manibosho  had  built  the  first  canoe,  and  upon 
which  he  had  hung  it  up  to  dry  after  pitching.  Truly,  Mani- 
bosho confirmed  his  friendship  for  the  red  man  when  he 
brought  down  the  bark  canoe.  What  other  appliance  is  there 
that  equals  the  bird  in  its  swift  flight  over  the  water,  that  can 
be  so  easily  transported  around  the  portage  or  over  the  divide, 
or,  turned  bottom  up  on  the  beach,  that  affords  so  perfect  a 
shelter  when  camping  out  on  a  rainy  night? 

You  may  be  sure  that  when  Wabish  and  his  compeers  went 
on  a  long  canoe  journey,  a  part  of  the  outfit  was  a  supply  of 

11 


pitch.  When  the  Evil  Spirits  in  the  submerged  rocks  split  the 
fragile  bottom  with  a  touch,  the  canoe  was  beached,  unloaded 
and  reversed.,  Then  the  pitch  was  heated  and  poured  over 
the  crack  in  the  bark  until  it  was  well  sealed,  upon  which  the 
voyage  could  be  resumed  in  safety. 

River  Was  a  Delight 

What  a  delight  were  the  long,  long,  lazy  summer  days  on 
the  beautiful  riverl  When  the  Hot  Moon  of  June  had  come 
and  gone,  and  the  mosquitoes,  black  flies  and  no-see-ums  had 
reveled  in  their  brief  day,  then  Wabish  and  his  friends,  bereft 
of  all  care  and  fancy-free,  fared  forth  on  the  broad  and  placid 
bosom  of  their  foster-mother. 

The  river  we  call  St.  Marys  —  it  is  really  a  strait  —  the 
Chippewas  named  Gitchi  Gurni  Sippi,  the  River  of  the  Great 
Lake.  They  knew  it  for  a  powerful  outpour  of  water  dividing 
here  and  there  into  broad  arms  which  separated,  united  and 
divided  again.  Repeatedly  these  arms  collected  in  large  pools, 
almost  lakes,  dreaming  calm  in  the  summer  sun;  but  these 
again  shot  in  narrow  passages  from  one  lake  to  another,  thus 
forming  several  rapids.  And  every  passage  was  fringed  and 
girdled  by  a  maze  of  lovely  islands,  large  and  small. 

Canoe  voyages  in  this  wild  water  labyrinth  were  exquisite 
indeed.  The  shores  of  the  islands  and  mainlands  were 
covered  with  dense  forests  of  hardwoods  and  conifers,  whose 
bright  and  dark  greens  met  the  eye  in  pleasing  contrast.  On 
the  eastern  side  the  Algoma  Mountains  came  down  to  meet 
the  lake  and  halted  there,  having  been  torn  away  by  Manibosho 
to  give  the  mighty  lake  above  a  chance  to  breathe  and  to  escape 
southward.  These  heights,  too,  were  tossing  with  massed 
woods,  but  here  and  there  the  naked  primeval  Laurentian  rock 
made  hard  faces  at  Gitchi  Gumi  Sippi  and  stuck  its  black 
tongues  into  the  mocking  stream. 

It  was  a  vast  country,  where  distances  were  long,  and  where 
Nature  performed  on  a  big  sca^.  Some  of  the  islands  in  the 
river  were  as  large  as  an  English  County.  England  itself  could 
have  been  sunk  in  Gitchi  Gumi  without  raising  the  water  very 
much.  And  there  were  countless  other  islands  as  small  as  the 
floor  of  a  wigwam,  and  in  some  places  the  roving  Indians  found 
themselves  surrounded  by  tiny  islets  on  which  there  was  scarcely 
room  for  a  tree. 

In  Primitive  State 

All  these  islands  and  shores  were  then  in  a  state  of  primitive 
savageness.  Their  interior  was  uninhabited  and  uncultivated, 
and  so  covered  with  rocks  and  swamps,  fallen  trees  and  rotting 
stumps  that  the  bears  could  not  wish  for  a  better  thicket.     Even 

12 


the  nearest  Hill-tops,  protected  by  this  tangled  wilderness,  had 
never  endured  the  foot  of  man.  The  river's  easy  highway  led 
to  many  a  hospitable  beach,  where  fishing  was  good  and  an 
occasional  runway  brought  the  deer  down  to  drink  and  be  cap- 
tured. Even  as  a  youthful  bowman  Wabish  could  drive  his 
flint-headed  arrows  clean  through  the  bodies  of  the  flying  deer. 

Oh  ta  gee  zig,  a  handsome,  burly  Indian  hereditary  chief, 
who  must  have  been  about  30  years  of  age  when  Wabish  was 
born,  was  the  friend,  hero  and  mentor  of  Wabish  in  his  boy- 
hood days.  Oh  ta  gee  zig  had  been  born  at  noon,  hence  his 
name,  meaning  "half  a  day."  Once  upon  a  time  Oh  ta  had 
strangled  a  bear  with  his  two  hands,  a  deed  that  won  him  great 
renown.  On  ceremonial  days  he  wore  twelve  feathers  in  his 
hair.  Each  feather  meant  the  death  of  a  Sioux  in  battle.  Oh  ta 
was  of  the  Owl  totem,  and  his  camp-fire  on  the  river  bank  at 
Howating  was  a  favorite  resorting  place  of  the  boy  Wabish  and 
his  chums.  Right  cheerfully  it  burned  of  a  summer  evening, 
where  the  bicentennial  monument  stands  now. 

"Did  you  ever  hear  of  the  story  of  the  first  man  and 
woman?"  asked  Oh  ta  of  the  group  of  Indians  around  his 
fire  one  evening.  He  was  a  famous  story  teller,  especially 
when  his  pipe  of  kinnikinnick  was  drawing  well. 

Tell  it  to  us,"  said  Wabish  and  his  friend  Ka  ba  konse,  a 
brother  of  the  Crane. 

"You  must  know,"  began  Oh  ta,  "that  Gitchi  Manito,  The 
Great  Spirit,  made  first  the  land  about  Bowating  and  along  the 
south  shore  of  Gitchi  Gumi.  At  first  there  was  nothing  here 
but  sand  and  rocks,  and  the  rapids  were  away  up  at  Nad  o  way 
an  ing,  the  Place  of  the  Iroquois.  This  was  long  before  Mani- 
bosho  trapped  beavers  there. 

The  Chippewa  Story  of  Creation 

"One  day  Manito  was  walking  along  here  when  he  saw 
something  lying  on  the  ground,  and  he  picked  it  up.  It  was 
a  tiny  root.  He  wondered  whether  it  would  grow,  and  he 
planted  it  on  the  river  bank,  close  to  the  water.  When  he 
came  back  next  day  a  lot  of  shoots  had  sprung  up,  and  the 
wind  blowing  through  them  made  a  pleasant  sound.  This 
pleased  him,  and  he  sought  for  and  found  more  little  roots 
and  some  seeds  from  the  soil,  and  he  spread  them  around,  so 
that  they  soon  covered  the  rocks  and  land  with  grass  and  fine 
forests,  in  which  birds  and  other  animals  came  to  live.  Every 
day  he  added  something  new  to  his  creation,  and  he  did  not 
forget  to  place  various  kinds  of  fish  in  the  water.  But  the  best 
fish  of  all,  the  at  ti  ma  kaig,  the  deer-of-the-water,  the  white- 
fish,  came  long  after. 

"Another  day  when  Manito  was  walking  near  this  place,  he 


saw  something  coming  out  of  the  water,  covered  with  glistening 
scales  like  a  fish,  but  formed  like  a  man.  Watching  it  further, 
Manito  saw  it  stoop  and  pluck  herbs,  which  it  swallowed.  It 
sighed  and  groaned,  but  did  not  speak. 

"The  sight  filled  Manito  with  compassion,  and  a  good 
thought  occurred  to  him.  Immediately  he  set  to  work  to  pro- 
vide this  forlorn  being  with  a  squaw.  He  formed  her  nearly 
as  he  had  seen  the  man  to  be  and  also  covered  her  body  with 
scales.  Then  he  breathed  a  little  of  his  life  into  her  and  set 
her  feet  upon  the  bank,  telling  her  that  if  she  would  walk  along 
the  shore  and  look  about  her  she  might  find  something  to  please 
her. 

He  Discovers  the  Woman 

"At  first  neither  saw  the  other,  and  the  woman,  after  wan- 
dering about  for  a  while,  sat  down  beside  a  log  and  fell  asleep. 
Presently  the  man  spied  her  footsteps  in  the  sand,  and  follow- 
ing them  he  approached  her  timidly.  He  found  his  voice  as 
he  touched  her  gently  on  the  shoulder  and  asked: 

'  'Who  art  thou?"     Whence  came  you?' 

'  'My  name  is  Mani,'  she  replied.  Gitchi  Manito  brought 
me  here,  telling  me  I  should  find  something  here  I  like.  I  think 
thou  art  the  promised  one.* 

'  *I  think  so  too,*  said  the  man.    'On  what  dost  thou  live?* 

*  'I  have  eaten  nothing,  for  I  was  looking  for  thee.  But  now 
I  feel  hungry.     Hast  thou  anything  to  eat?' 

"Straitway  the  man  hurried  to  collect  some  roots  and  herbs 
that  he  had  found  edible.  He  brought  them  to  the  squaw, 
who  devoured  them  greedily. 

"Again  the  sight  moved  Manito  to  pity,  and  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye  he  built  a  handsome  wigwam  for  them,  with  a  splendid 
garden  beside  it,  in  which  grew  many  plants  and  berries,  and 
trees  of  various  kinds.  Here  they  lived  happily  for  many  days, 
and  Gitchi  Manito  came  often  to  converse  with  them. 

'  'Let  me  warn  you  against  one  thing,*  he  told  them.  'See, 
this  tree  in  the  middle  of  the  garden  is  not  good,  for  it  was 
planted  here  by  Matchi  Manito,  the  Spirit  of  Evil.  See  how 
it  blossoms,  presently  it  will  bear  fruits,  and  they  will  look  very 
fine  and  taste  very  sweet.  But  do  not  eat  of  them,  or  death 
shall  be  thy  portion.' 

"You  may  believe  that  they  paid  attention  to  this  formid* 
able  warning,  and  they  kept  the  command  a  long  time,  even 
when  the  blossoms  passed  and  the  fruit  was  ripened.  One  day, 
however,  when  Mani  was  walking  alone  in  the  garden,  she  heard 
a  friendly  and  musical  voice  calling,  'Mani,  why  dost  thy  not 
eat  of  this  beautiful  fruit?  It  tastes  splendidly.  Startled,  she 
looked  around,  but  saw  no  one.  She  was  afraid,  and  hurried 
into  the  house. 

-    14 


The  Tempter  Comes 

"Next  day  she  went  again  into  the  garden,  being  curious 
to  hear  the  voice  again.  When  she  approached  the  forbidden 
tree  it  sounded:  'Mani,  Mani,  taste  this  splendid  fruit,  it  will 
gladden  thy  heart!'  And  with  this  a  young  and  handsome  In- 
dian came  out  of  the  bushes,  plucked  some  fruit  and  placed  it  in 
her  hand.  'Eat,*  he  said.  It  looked  so  good,  and  smelled  so 
good,  that  she  promptly  ate  it  up  and  more  with  it.  The  young 
Indian,  who  was  of  course  the  agent  of  Matchi  Manito,  disap- 
peared, and  when  her  husband  came  soon  after,  she  persuaded 
him  to  eat  also.  But  scarcely  had  he  swallowed  the  fruit  she 
gave  him  when  the  silver  scales  fell  off  their  bodies;  only 
twenty  scales  remained  to  each,  ten  on  the  fingers  and  ten  on 
the  toes,  but  these  lost  their  brilliancy.  They  saw  themselves 
quite  uncovered,  and  were  ashamed  and  withdrew  into  the 
bushes. 

'Then  came  the  angry  Gitchi  Manito,  and  said:  'Did  I  not 
tell  you  to  abstain  from  the  wiles  of  Matchi  Manito?  You  have 
disobeyed,  and  presently  death  shall  come  upon  you.  These 
poor  uncovered  physical  frames  of  yours  shall  perish,  but  the 
life  that  is  in  you  shall  live  in  your  children  and  their  descend- 
ants.     Begone  from  my  garden!' 

"So  they  went  forth  in  banishment.  But  Manito  loved  them 
and  had  mercy  on  them.  He  gave  the  man  a  bow  and  some 
arrows,  and  showed  him  how  to  shoot  deer,  and  told  Mani 
how  to  prepare  the  meat  of  them,  and  how  to  make  clothing 
and  moccasins  of  the  hides. 

They  Leave  the  Garden 

"So  Mani  and  her  husband  left  the  garden,  the  man  trying 
his  bow  and  the  arrows.  Being  not  yet  practiced  in  their  use 
he  shot  into  the  sand,  and  the  arrows  went  thus  deep  into  the 
ground." 

Here  Oh  ta  picked  up  an  arrow,  thrust  it  into  the  earth  and 
withdrew  it  with  his  thumb  on  the  shaft,  showing  to  each  one 
there  separately  how  deep  the  arrow  had  gone  in,  saying,  "see, 
so  far."  They  looked  at  it  carefully  and  said,  "good,  now  go 
on."      Oh  ta  proceeded: 

"So  Mani's  husband  went  out  to  hunt,  saw  a  deer  and  shot 
an  arrow  at  it.        The  animal     sank  on  its     knees  and     died. 

"The  hunter  ran  up  and  drew  his  arrow  from  the  wound, 
found  it  uninjured  and  placed  it  in  his  quiver  to  be  used  again. 
When  he  brought  the  deer  to  his  squaw  she  cut  it  into  pieces 
and  washed  them,  laying  the  hide  aside  for  moccasins  and  cloth- 
ing. Then  she  sensed  the  need  of  fire,  for  they  could  not  eat 
the  meat  raw  as  the  barbarous  Kiristinons  of  the  north  do. 

"This  demand  for  fire  stumped  the  man  for  a  time,  but 
finally  the  thought  came  to  him  to   rub   against  each   other  a 

15 


piece  of  hardwood  and  one  of  softwood,  and  he  soon  had  a 
bright  fire  for  his  squaw. 

Became  a  Medicine  Man 

"After  that  Mani's  husband  killed  many  deer,  and  soon 
they  had  plenty  of  clothing  and  bedding,  and  his  squaw  built 
a  fine  lodge  for  him.  One  day  when  out  hunting  he  found  a 
birch-bark  book  lying  under  a  tree.  While  he  was  looking  at 
the  book  it  spoke  to  him  in  the  pure  Ojibway  language,  in- 
structing him  in  the  use  of  every  plant  in  the  forest  and  the 
meadow.  Delighted,  he  put  the  book  in  his  hunting-bag  and 
collected  all  the  plants,  roots,  flowers  and  herbs  which  it  point- 
ed out  to  him.  With  these  he  returned  to  Mani,  and  found  they 
were  all  good  medicine,  good  in  every  accident  and  sickness 
of  life.  So  in  this  way  he  became  a  great  medicine-man  as 
well  as  a  mighty  hunter.  The  children  his  wife  bore  him  be- 
came great  hunters  also.  He  taught  them  to  use  the  bow,  ex- 
plained to  them  the  medicine-book,  which  never  talked  to  any- 
one but  him,  and  told  them  the  history  of  his  and  Mani's  crea- 
tion. And  through  them  the  true  story  of  the  Ojibways  has 
come  down  to  us." 

"What  was  Mani's  husband's  name,  Oh  ta?"  asked  Wabish. 
"That  was  not  revealed  to  us,"  replied  Oh  ta,  as  he  tamped 
his  pipe  with  a  finger  and  looked  very  wise.      "And  anyway, 
it  was  the  woman  who  made  all  the  trouble." 

"Who  revealed  to  the  Chippewas  that  Gitchi  Manito  lived 
here?"  inquired  Miz  ye,  The  Cat-Fish.  Miz  ye  was  a  captive 
Sioux  boy,  a  slave,  a  friend  to  everybody,  and  he  had  the 
freedom  of  the  village.  "I  always  thought  Gitchi  Manito  lived 
at  Torch  Lake,  many  days  journey  toward  the  setting  sun," 
he  said. 

"You  thought  wrong,"  replied  Oh  ta,  "and  I'll  prove  it 
to  you.  In  the  first  place  Manibosho  told  us  about  the  Great 
Spirit,  when  he  had  re-created  the  world  and  the  Chippewa 
nation  after  the  flood.  But  see  here.  We  know  that  Gitchi 
Manito  lives  now  in  the  great  rock  temple  on  Michilimackinac, 
don't  we?" 

"Certainly,"  they  chorused. 

Started  From  Sault 

"And  we  know  he  flew  from  the  north,  through  the  great 
curved  stone  door  on  the  beach,  don't  we? 

"Oh,  yes."  . 

"Well,  then,  that's  it.  Don't  you  see,  he  started  from 
here."  Oh  ta  looked  triumphantly  from  face  to  face  in  the 
circle. 

16 


"Maybe  he  came  from  beyond  Gitchi  Gumi  somewhere," 
suggested  somebody  doubtfully. 

"No,  no,  no,"  Oh  ta  replied  positively.  "Do  you  think 
the  Great  Spirit  would  ever  live  in  the  wreched  land  of  the 
Kiristinons,  where  it  is  always  cold,  and  where  the  people 
wander  about  half-starved  from  place  to  place,  and  eat  their 
meat  and  fish  raw?  It  is  impossible.  We  are  his  people,  and 
the  people  of  the  great  Manibosho." 

"Was  Manibosho  here  then?"    another  inquired. 

"No,  he  came  to  us  after  Gitchi  Manito  withdrew  to  his 
temple.  Many  moons  ago  Manibosho  lived  on  earth  and  was 
a  great  War  Chief  of  the  Chippewas,  and  the  Ottawas,  the 
Hurons  and  the  Potawatomies  as  well.  Once,  when  the  winter 
was  cold  and  windy,  with  deep  snows,  the  Indians  had  great 
trouble  in  keeping  their  wigwam-fires  alight.  Seeing  them  so 
forlorn  and  cold,  Manibosho  brought  down  fire  from  heaven, 
causing  the  lightning  to  strike  a  great  tree  and  set  it  glowing. 
From  this  tree  came  the  sacred  fire  which  the  Potawatomies 
keep  ever  burning  in  their  head  jossakeed's  lodge  on  the  shores 
of  Lake  Meetch  i  gong.  This  is  our  time-honored  council  fire; 
and  whenever  the  tribes  meet  ceremonially  in  the  north  country, 
we  send  to  the  Potawatomies  for  the  sacred  fire  and  bring  it 
carefully  guarded  to  our  council  seat.  For  to  tell  lies  in  the 
presence  of  that  fire  is  impossible.  Animosities  die  down  be- 
fore it,  peace  and  harmony  must  prevail  where  burns  the  fire 
from  heaven.  So  we  gather  before  it  only  when  meeting  with 
our  allies,  never  before  going  on  the  war-path. 

Heavenly  Fire  Is  Lost 

"Once  Manibosho  maintained  the  heavenly  flame  here  at 
Bowating.  But  when  the  accursed  Nad  o  ways,  the  Iroquois, 
came  against  us  in  might  and  drove  us  from  Bowating  for  a 
time,  we  lost  the  fire  from  heaven  and  never  have  regained  it. 
But  our  Chippewas  keep  it  faithfully  to  this  day  at  Chequame- 
gon.     Miz  ye,  bring  me  a  coal  for  my  pipe." 

"I  thought  Manibosho  lived  in  the  moon,"  said  Ka  ba  konse. 

"He  does  now,  but  he  will  come  back  to  earth  again  when 
the  Chippewas  need  him.  The  moon  is  his  great-grandmother, 
and  he  likes  to  be  with  her.  On  clear  moonlit  nights  you  can 
see  him  plainly,  with  his  flag-staff  at  his  side,  feathers  on  his 
head,  with  his  sword  and  the  pipe  of  peace." 

"He  was  a  wonderful  hero,"  they  said. 

Manibosho  Gets  Caught  in  Tree 

"He  was  indeed,"  remarked  Oh  ta.  "Once,  when  he  lived 
at  Bowating  with  his  two  wives,  two  great  trees  nearby  were 
driven  together  at  their  tops  by   the  wind   so  that  they  con- 

X7 


tinually  rubbed  and  produced  a  jarring  sound  that  you  could 
hear  for  a  long  distance  around.  Manibosho,  either  because  he 
wished  to  put  an  end  to  the  noise,  or  because  he  feared  a  fire 
in  the  forest,  for  sometimes  the  rubbing  of  two  trees  makes 
much  heat  and  a  fire,  climbed  up  to  break  the  branches  asunder. 
But  they  flew  back  again  and  squeezed  him  tightly  between 
them. 

"He  remained  between  the  trees  for  three  whole  days, 
without  eating  or  drinking.  In  vain  he  begged  all  the  animals 
that  passed  to  free  him.  First  came  the  wolves,  and  they  said, 
'well,  well,  Manibosho,  good  enough  for  you!'  and  they  ate  up 
his  breakfast,  which  he  had  left  in  his  hunting-bag  under  the 
trees.  Next  came  the  squirrels.  They  began,  on  Manibosho's 
entreaties,  to  gnaw  the  trees  a  little,  but  they  soon  got  the 
toothache  and  quit,  saying  they  were  not  used  to  such  hard 
wood-cutter's  work.  Such  like  excuses  were  made  by  other 
animals  who  happened  by,  until  at  last  the  bear  came,  big 
and  good-natured,  and  he  helped  poor  Manibosho  out  of  his 
fix.  And  then  Manibosho  went  home  to  his  wives,  hungry  and 
sleepy,  and  scolded  and  beat  them,  because,  as  he  said,  they 
were  to  blame  for  the  whole  unlucky  event.  His  squaws  said 
truly  that  they  knew  nothing  about  it  and  had  been  greatly 
worried  at  his  absence.  But  what  injustice  will  not  a  man  com- 
mit when  he  is  in  bad  temper!" 

"What  was  he  doing  with   two  wives,   Oh  ta?" 

"Gitchi  Manito  gave  them  to  him  to  humble  his  pride. 
Manibosho,  in  the  arrogance  of  power,  thought  he  could  keep 
two  wives  in  peace  where  the  common  man  has  difficulty  in 
handling  one.  But  Manito  punished  his  presumption,  for  they 
were  forever  quarreling  in  his  presence  and  out  of  it.  So  he 
put  one  of  them  away." 

"What  became  of  the  other  one?" 

Wife  Is  Turned  to  Stone 

"I'm  coming  to  that.  Once  the  rapids  were  up  at  Nad  o 
way  an  ing,  half  a  sun's  journey  from  here  by  canoe.  Mani- 
bosho had  built  a  dam  there  to  keep  Gitchi  Gumi,  the  mighty 
lake,  in  bounds  till  the  time  shouM  come  for  it  to  breathe.  All 
the  beavers  in  the  world  were  then  on  the  north  side  of  Mani- 
bosho's dam,  and  he  watched  it  constantly  to  keep  them  from 
breaking  through.  But  something  happened  to  call  him  to 
Chequamegon,  and  his  wife,  whom  he  left  to  guard  the  dam 
against  the  beavers,  not  spying  them  waiting  in  the  waters 
above,  carelessly  took  a  nap  in  Manibosho's  absence.  When 
he  returned  he  found  her  asleep,  the  dam  broken,  and  the 
beavers  nearly  all  escaped.  In  his  rage  he  killed  her,  and  some 
of  you  have  seen  her  lying  on  the  beach  there,  turned  to  a  big 
red  stone.     Then  he  ripped  up  the  rest  of  the  dam  and  flung 

18 


it  far  down  the  lake,  so  that  many  of  the  big  stones  rolled 
down  here  and  made  the  rapids  of  Bowating,  which  is  to  say, 
the  Place  of  the  rapids. 

Big  Boulders  Are  Sacred 

"Some  of  the  beavers  he  caught  and  imprisoned  in  the  big- 
gest boulders  in  the  rapids,  and  there  they  are  yet.  That  is 
the  reason  we  refrain  from  touching  the  biggest  stones  in  the 
foaming  waters,  They  speak  to  us  of  the  wrath  of  Manibosho, 
and   are  sacred. 

"Manihosbo  had  a  little  grandson,  who  loved  to  paddle  up 
and  down  the  river  in  his  tiny  canoe.  One  day  he  crossed  the 
river  to  the  north  bank — this  was  long,  long  ago,  you  must  re- 
member— where  the  king  of  the  turtles  reigned,  an  evil-minded 
good-for-nothing.  When  the  canoe  touched  the  bank  and  the 
boy  was  about  to  leap  to  land,  the  king  used  his  magic  to 
widen  the  river  suddenly,  so  that  the  little  one  fell  in  the  water 
and  was  drowned.  The  king  fished  out  the  poor  little  body 
and  was  about  to  devour  it  when  Manibosho  came  upon  him 
and  killed  him. 

"On  this  the  turtles  declared  war  against  Manibosho,  and 
by  means  of  wicked  spells  they  caused  a  tremendous  rain  which 
lasted  fory  days  and  produced  the  great  deluge.  Manibosho, 
seeing  the  danger,  first  carried  his  grandmother,  the  toad,  to  a 
lofty  hill,  and  he  himself  mounted  the  tallest  pine  on  another 
high  mountain.  There  he  waited  until  the  rain  ceased  and  the 
sky  cleared.  Far  as  he  could  see  there  was  no  land.  By-and- 
by  along  came  a  muskrat,  swimming  for  his  life.  Manibosho, 
from  his  perch  in  the  tree,  commanded  the  muskrat  to  dive  deep 
and  bring  up  some  earth,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a 
new  world.  The  muskrat  recognized  the  great  Manibosho, 
took  a  deep  breath  and  obeyed,  making  a  mighty  dive.  He 
never  came  up. 

"Before  long  a  hell-diver  came  flying  low  over  the  water 
and  alighted  near  the  tree.  To  him  Manibosho  gave  the  same 
command.  Down  went  the  hell-diver  on  his  quest,  down, 
down,  and  after  a  long  time  he  rose  slowly  to  the  surface, 
drowned,  but  clinging  to  his  webbed  feet  there  was  a  little  earth. 
This  Manibosho  used  to  create  a  new  earth  for  the  Indians. 
First  he  made  a  little  island  which  hardly  bore  his  weight;  then 
he  made  a  larger  one,  which  supported  him  and  afterward  be- 
came the  new  world.  And  the  first  thing  he  did  when  solid 
ground  was  established  was  to  send  some  animals  for  his 
grandmother  the  toad,  who  barely  escaped  with  her  life. 

Toads  Never  Molested 

"So  it  is  that  we  Indians  never  molest  the  toads,   for  they 

19 


are  related  to  Manibosho.  And  we  respect  the  bear  and  do  not 
kill  him  except  in  time  of  need  or  when  he  attacks  us,  for  he 
helped  Manibosho  in  time  of  trouble. 

"One  of  the  best  things  Manibosho  did  for  the  Indians 
was  to  create  the  red  willows  for  us,  and  thus  he  gave  us  our 
kinnikinnick  to  smoke  in  our  stone  pipes.  We  bless  him  for 
this,  for  there  is  much  wisdom  in  good  kinnikinnick.  Hence 
it  is  that  when  we  go  canoeing  along  the  north  shore  of  Gitchi 
Gumi,  we  cease  paddling  and  light  our  pipes  at  Puck  a  saw, 
which  of  course  means  'stop  and  have  a  smoke,'  and  this  we 
do  in  honor  of  Manibosho.'* 

Then  spoke  up  an  elderly  and  horribly  disfigured  Indian 
at  the  side  of  Wabish.  Part  of  his  face  was  missing,  and  his 
jaws  were  stiff,  so  that  he  talked  out  of  one  corner  of  his  mouth. 
"My  friends,  that  I  am  mutilated  almost  beyond  semblance 
of  a  man,  you  can  plainly  see.  But  Manibosho  or  no  Mani- 
bosho, I  have  no  love  for  bears.  For  a  bear  did  this,  and  this" 
— pointing  to  his  frightful  scars — "and  you,  and  you,  and  you, 
were  present  when  I  returned  to  Bowating  more  dead  than 
alive."  He  plucked  his  witnesses  out  of  the  circle.  And  then 
he  told  the  s«ory  just  as  it  had  occurred. 

"I  had  been  hunting  deer  in  the  autumn  down  in  the  Mun- 
osk  ong  country,  and  I  was  on  mv  way  home  to  Bowatinq 
empty-handed,  when  1  met  the  wild  beasts  who  so  nearly 
brought  about  my  death.  I  had  my  bow  and  arrows,  a  good 
stone  axe,  and  a  tempered  copper  knife  that  my  brother  An 
nam  i  kens  had  dug  up  and  brought  me  from  On  tan  a  gan  inj*. 

"My  moccasins  made  no  sound  as  I  walked  swiftly  through 
the  woods  upon  the  thick  fallen  leaves.  I  was  hungry,  and  I 
was  thinking  of  the  feast  of  at  turn  i  kaig  thai  was  waiting  for 
me  in  my  mother's  wigwam,  and  of  that  only,  else  I  might 
have  escaped  the  injuries  that  befell  me.  I  must  have  dis- 
pleased the  Great  Spirit  somehow,  my  wits  were  wandering, 
as  I  suddenly  walked  full  upon  the  biggest  bear  I  ever  saw. 
And  more  than  that,  she  had  two  big  yearling  cubs,  and  the 
three  of  them  were  grubbing  for  nuts  under  a  beech-tree.  Be- 
fore I  knew  it  the  big  one  had  me  fast,  for  she  had  seen  me 
coming  and  had  risen  on  her  hind  legs  to  meet  me.  She  pulled 
me  down  and  took  my  head,  yes,  all  of  it,  in  her  mouth,  so 
that  her  enormous  tusks  tore  the  tops  of  my  shoulders. 

Terrible  Lacerations 

"Somehow,  I  know  not,  I  managed  to  break  free;  but  as  I 
jerked  my  head  from  her  mouth  her  teeth  ripped  me  to  the 
skull  in  four  long  cuts,  and  these  scars  I  shall  bear  until  I  die. 
As  I  jerked,  I  half  turned  and  sank  my  knife  to  the  hilt  in  her 
body,  so  that  she  yowled  with  the  pain  of  it.  On  the  same 
instant  the  cubs  closed  in  and  clawed  my  arms  and  legs  to  the 

20 


bone.  I  sank  down  and  away  from  the  dam's  relaxed  fore- 
legs, but  quicker  than  the  lightning-stroke  she  struck  me  right 
and  left.  The  one  blow  tore  open  my  body,  so  that  my  bowels 
fell  upon  my  knees;  the  other  tore  out  my  eye  and  my  cheek- 
!  bone,  a  part  of  my  jaw,  three  teeth  and  the  end  of  my  tongue, 
and  left  the  cheek  hanging  down  upon  my  shoulder.  Down  I 
fell,  fainting  with  the  pain  and  the  loss  of  blood,  and  as  I  lay 
quite  still  the  bears  ceased  to  molest  me. 

"After  a  little  I  raised  myself  up  and  bound  my  wounds 
as  well  as  possible.  I  fumbled  for  my  fallen  axe  and  laid  a 
hand  upon  it.  1  heard  a  nose  behind  me,  turning  I  saw  dimly 
the  old  bear  close  upon  me  and  the  cubs  with  her.  Before  I 
could  raise  my  arm  they  seized  me,  pawed  and  tore  me  at  will 
I  know  not  how  long,  picking  me  up  my  the  neck  and  dragging 
me  some  distance.  I  lost  all  hope  and  idea  of  resistance. 
Then  they  once  more  left  me.  For  a  long  time  I  lay  quite  still, 
then,  nearly  blinded  and  bleeding  horribly  I  staggered  to  my 
feet,  reeling  I  knew  not  whither.  And  without  knowing  it,  I 
still  clutched  my  axe. 

"I  had  gone  but  a  little  way  when  I  heard  the  snorting  of 
the  old  dam  and  felt  her  hot  breath  upon  my  wounded  back. 
Again  she  towered  erect  above  me,  and  again  I  saw  the  bright 
blood  stream  down  her  black  fur  from  the  knife-hoje  I  had 
given  her.  My  right  arm  was  so  stiff  and  swollen  that  I  could 
not  raise  it.  I  held  it  backward,  still  gripping  the  heavy  axe, 
and  swung  my  body  forward  and  down,  just  missing  her  gory 
claws.  Over  came  the  axe  upon  her  head,  the  point  of  it 
smashed  her  eye  and  sank  into  her  brain.  She  fell  in  the  throes 
ot  death,  and  I  lay  almost  beneath  her,  so  that  her  claws,  work- 
ing convulsively,  tore  my  shoulders  into  strips. 

"More  than  half  dead,  I  rolled  from  beneath  her  feet,  and 
got  upon  my  hands  and  knees,  only  to  see  the  yearlings  clos- 
ing in,  walking  erect  on  their  hind  legs.  Desperate,  I  swung 
my  axe  with  my  left  hand,  my  right  failing  me,  and  the  cubs 
retreated.  I  followed  them  a  few  steps,  but  great  darkness 
descended  upon  me  and  I  sank  down  in  a  dead  faint.  When 
my  senses  returned  night  was  coming  on,  and  I  dragged  my 
way  painfully  toward  Bowating,  my  blood  dyeing  the  ground 
as  1  crept  along.  There  it  was  that  you  found  me,  and  you. 
and  you" — pointing  to  some  of  the  older  Indians  around  the 
fire —  and  it  was  you  who  carried  me  to  my  father's  lodge." 

Refused  Food  for  Nine  Days 

"1  remember  it  well,"  said  Oh  Ta,  calmly.  "When  first 
we  saw  you  staggering  along,  we  noticed  something  flapping 
against  the  calf  of  your  leg,  and  we  found  it  to  be  a  large  piece 
of  flesh  hanging  down  from  your  thigh.  You  could  not  speak 
when  we  came  up  with  you,  and  not  even  at  the  torture  stake 

21 


have  I  seen  a  sight  more  terrible.  But  when  we  had  carried 
you  home  and  bandaged  and  cared  for  you  as  well  as  possible, 
and  the  jossakeed  had  beat  his  drum  over  you,  your  tongue, 
fcrhat  was  left  of  it,  found  its  office.  I  surely  thought  you  would 
depart  this  world  before  the  morning's  sun,  and  I  remember 
that  you  mumbled  to  us  to  bury  you  on  the  hill  by  the  rapids. 
Nine  days  you  refused  all  food,  saying  that  you  wished  to  die 
because  of  your  terribly  disfigured  state.  After  that  I  remem- 
ber that  you  took  a  little  fish  from  your  mother,  who  kept  your 
wounds  clean  with  cold  water  from  the  river,  and  in  the  next 
moon  you  were  able  to  be  up  and  about  a  little.  But  it  was 
many  moons  before  your  wounds  were  closed." 

When  Muk  wa,  The  Bear — for  so  he  was  known  at  Bowat- 
ing  from  his  mishap — finished  speaking,  an  aged  Indian  woman 
who  had  been  standing  in  the  shadow,  advanced  and  threw 
some  wood  upon  the  fire. 

The  Story  of  Wau  Goosh 

"Oh,  Mayd  ya,"  some  one  called,  "don't  go  away.  Sit 
down  and  tell  us  the  story  of  Wau  goosh.  Hearing  Muk  wa 
reminded  me  of  it.     Speak." 

"Ho,"  said  the  rest,  and  place  was  made  for  Mayd  ya.  She 
sat  down  and  began: 

"Poor  Muk  wa  makes  me  think  of  the  time  when  the  bear- 
king  ruled  at  Bowating,  long  before  the  free  Chippewas  came 
here  to  live.  Ten  thousand  bears  roamed  the  country  in  this 
vicinity,  and  what  few  Indians  they  suffered  to  live  here  were 
their  slaves. 

"That  was  when  Wau  goosh,  the  son  of  Manibosho,  lived 
a  long  way  west  of  here  in  a  village  on  the  shore  of  the  Lake 
of  the  Pits.  A  beautiful  place  it  was,  with  blue  water  a-plenty 
before  the  door  of  his  wigwam,  and  abundance  of  fish.  Wau 
goosh  was  a  wonderful  man,  not  very  large,  but  well  built  and 
sinewy  like  his  father  Manibosho.  And  Manibosho  had  en- 
dowed him  with  quick  wit  and  ambition,  courage  and  resolution, 
so  that  when  game  was  scarce  around  the  lake,  Wau  goosh  was 
not  afraid  to  carry  the  hunt  into  the  territory  of  the  bears, 
although  he  never  molested  them,  hunting  only  trie  red  deer 
of  the  forests. 

Taken  to  Bear  King 

"One  day  a  message  was  brought  him  by  a  bear,  who  said 
that  the  bear  king-wished  to  see  him  at  this  place.  In  those 
times  this  vicinity  was  known  as  As  ti  cou.  Wau  goosh  never 
thought  of  declining,  so  he  mounted  the  bear's  back  and  off 
they  went  to  the  eastward.  Toward  evening  they  came  down 
to  the  river  bank  and  this  spot,  where  the  bear-king  had  his 
lodge.     He  was  of  tremendous  size,  and  thought  very  well  of 

22 


himself.  Making  a  show  of  hospitality,  he  invited  Wau  goosh 
to  come  in,  but  did  not  put  him  in  the  place  of  honor.  When 
they  were  seated  and  a  decent  interval  of  time  had  elapsed, 
the  bear-king  gave  a  loud  growl  and  said  he  had  sent  for 
Wau  goosh  because  the  latter  had  been  hunting  without  per- 
mission in  the  royal  territory. 

"If  it  happens  again  I'll  have  your  life,"  snarled  the  king 
with  another  growl.  And  his  fat  arms  twitched  as  if  they  yearn- 
ed to  hug  Wau  goosh. 

*Very  well,"  said  the  latter,  moving  around  toward  the 
door,  "I'll  see  what  I  can  do  about  it."  And  he  jumped  on 
the  messenger's  back  and  road  home.  When  he  arrived  he 
assembled  the  people  of  the  village  and  direct -d  them  to  cut 
the  bear's  head  off  and  throw  it  out  where  the  bear  spies  could 
see  it  and  carry  the  news  to  the  king.  Then  he  assembled  all 
the  braves  in  the  village  and  armed  them  for  trouble. 

A  Race  for  Life 

"Sure  enough,  in  a  day  or  two  out  came  the  bears,  led 
by  their  chief  and  thirsting  for  revenge.  They  advanced 
shoulder  to  shoulder,  walking  on  their  hind  legs,  and  rolling 
their  eyes  and  champing  their  tusks  so  that  you  would  have 
thought  that  Matchi  Manito  himself  was  raging  in  every  one  of 
them. 

"The  bear-king  came  forward  at  their  head  and  waved  a 
mighty  paw.  'Wau  goosh,'  he  croaked,  *y°u  have  killed  my 
messenger.  We  outnumber  you  two  to  one,  and  could  over- 
whelm you  where  you  stand.  But  I  do  not  wish  to  shed  the  blood 
of  your  warriors;  it  is  yours  I  want.  I  dare  you  to  run  a  race 
with  me  around  the  Lake  of  the  Pits,  the  winner  to  kill  the  loser, 
and  the  loser's  tribe  to  be  slaves  forever  of  the  other.* 

"Of  course  Wau  goosh  agreed,  for  he  never  was  afraid  of 
anything  or  anybody.  Away  they  went,  crashing  through  the 
bushes,  the  bear-king  a  little  ahead,  just  where  Wau  goosh 
wanted  him,  for  the  trees  and  grass  were  thick.  Soon  the 
bear-king  was  puffing  loudly,  and  the  sweat  dripped  from  his 
broad  nose. 

'You  are  overheated,  king,'  shouted  Wau  goosh,  as  they 
came  down  to  the  beach  where  the  going  was  better.  'Take  a  dip 
in  the  lake  and  cool  off  a  little.'  And  with  that  he  ran  alongside 
the  king  and  rolled  him  over  in  the  shallow  water.  When  the 
bear-king  scrambled  out,  wild  with  rage,  Wau  goosh  ran  ahead 
of  him  and  around  him,  for  Wau  goosh  was  swifter  than  the 
wind.  He  led  the  bear-king  up  a  big  sand  hill  on  the  south 
side  of  the  lake,  and  when  they  reached  the  top  he  dropped 
like  a  log  right  in  front  of  the  fat  king.  The  latter  tripped  and 
pouf!  down  he  rolled  to  the  bottom,  his  wet  hide  gathering 
sand  as  he  went. 

23 


King  Bear  is  Slain 

"Down  the  hill  came  Wau  goosh,  kicking  up  such  clouds 
of  sand  that  the  bear-king's  eyes,  nose  and  mouth  were  filled 
with  it.  He  snorted  and  coughed  and  choked,  and  rubbed  his 
eyes  with  his  paws.  Then  Wau  goosh  mounted  on  the  bear's 
wide  back,  pulling  his  ears  and  kicking  his  flanks,  and  started 
him  on  the  course  around  the  lake.  While  the  bewildered  king 
was  tearing  along  Wau  goosh  stood  up  and  danced  the  medi- 
cine-dance on  his  rump.  As  they  neared  the  starting-point 
Wau  goosh  gave  a  mighty  leap  ahead,  seized  his  bow,  and  shot 
an  arrow  through  the  bear's  heart. 

'  'Now,  you  bears,'  he  said  to  the  dumfounded  visitors, 
'will  >ou  be  good  slaves,  or  shall  I  take  a  ride  on  your  backs, 
too?  Take  this  carcass  of  your  king,  strip  off  the  hide  and 
prepare  it  for  supper.      1  am  hungry.' 

"Well,  the  bears  had  to  pitch  in  and  carve  the  body  of 
their  late  master,  cook  it  and  serve  it  for  Wau  goosh's  supper. 
Afterward  he  made  them  his  guards,  appointing  them  to  range 
the  forest  by  day  and  by  night  around  about  the  Lake  of  the 
Pits.  But  he  found  them  useless  in  this  capacity,  for  most  of 
the  time  you  could  find  every  one  of  them  up  in  some  nice 
shady  tree  sitting  on  a  limb  with  his  back  toward  the  trunk, 
his  legs  crossed  and  taking  a  nap.  So  Wau  goosh  finally  sent 
them   back   to  As   ti   cou. 

Chippewas  Made  to  Bow 

"When  he  came  down  to  As  ti  cou  after  the  winter,  he 
found  his  former  slaves  lording  it  over  what  Indians  were  left 
here.  Coming  unexpectedly  to  the  river,  he  happened  upon  the 
same  bears  who  had  cringed  before  him  at  the  Lake  of  the 
Pits,  now  fat  and  insolent,  seated  in  lazy  comfort  in  their  trees 
while  his  poor  brother  Chippewas  danced  for  them  on  the 
ground  beneath  until  they  were  ready  to  drop  from  weariness. 
And  many  times  in  the  course  of  the  dance,  to  their  shame 
and  his,  they  got  down  on  all  fours  and  bowed  their  heads 
to  the  ground  before  their  masters  the  bears. 

"His  heart  burned  within  him  when  he  beheld  the  pitiful 
condition  of  his  friends.  Twang!  went  his  ready  bow,  and  zip! 
zip!  sang  each  swift  arrow  as  it  sank  into  a  shaggy  body.  And 
for  every  arrow  there  lay  a  dead  bear  in  the  grove.  That  night 
there  was  a  great  feast  in  As  ti  cou. 

"A  few  of  the  bears  were  permitted  to  live  b>  Wau  goosh, 
who  cudgelled  them  soundly  and  banished  them  forever  to 
the  hills  and  swamps.  There  their  descendants  live,  and  shun 
the  haunts  of  man.  They  molest  him  no  more,  for  they 
have  learned  their  lesson  at  the  hands  of  Wau  goosh.  The 
she  bear  with  cubs  fights,  it  is  true;  but  only  because  she  fears 

24 


that  man  will  make  slaves  of  her  young.  In  her  heart  she  re- 
members Wau  Goosh  forever.*' 

Just  then  there  came  to  the  fire  Met  ak  oss  se  ga,  Pure 
Tobacco,  the  midi  or  medicine  man  of  Bowating,  and  Mis 
ab  i  kongs,  The  Man  of  Iron,  v/ho  habitually  painted  a  broad 
streak  of  white  around  his  right  eye,  in  consequence  of  some 
vow  he  had  taken.  The  midi  was  a  tall  man  of  solemn  aspect, 
and  he  wore  a  copper  ring  in  his  nose.  They  had  just  re- 
turned from  A  go  ba  way  Me  ne  sha,  Harbor  Island,  anc.  their 
canoe  lay  on  the  beach  below  the  fire,  where  it  could  be  seen 
in  the  starlight. 

You  tired?"   asked   Puck   e  na,   The  Grasshopper. 

"Me?  Tired?"  returned  the  Man  of  Iron.  "I  could  paddle 
to  Ma  ke  kee  (Gros  Cap)  and  back  tonight  without  being  tired. 
I  am  Mis  ab  i  kongs." 

"Good,  Mis  ab  i  kongs,"  said  Oh  ta.  "Let's  have  a  dis- 
covery dance.  Miz  ya,  bring  Mis  ab  i  kongs'  lance,  and  the 
medicine  drum  for  Met  ak  oos  se  ga,  Mayd  ya,  begone.  This 
is  for  men  and  the  instruction  of  youth." 

Met  ak  oos  se  ga  tied  a  snake-skin  around  his  forehead  and 
seized  the  drum  stick.  He  sat  close  to  the  fire,  but  all  the 
others  drew  farther  back  in  a  large  circle,  leaving  room  for 
Mis  ab  i  kongs,  who  was  a  master  of  mimicry  and  one  of  the 
few  men  able  to  execute  the  discovery  dance  in  its  entirety. 

The  Man  of  Iron  lay  down  on  his  side  and  slept  peacefully 
by  the  fire,  the  glow  of  which  accented  the  white  patch  on  his 
face.  Presently  the  midi  gave  a  tremendous  yell,  the  war-yell 
of  the  Chippewas.  This  awakened  the  Man  of  Iron,  who 
jumped  to  his  feet  and  began  making  his  preparation  in  panto- 
mime for  the  field.  He  daubed  more  white  on  his  eye,  ver- 
milion on  his  cheeks,  and  renewed  the  totem-sign  on  his  fore- 
head. He  took  the  stick  from  the  midi  and  pounded  the  drum 
while  he  sang  a  song  of  victory.  Then,  seizing  his  lance,  his 
axe  and  bow,  he  raised  them  aloft,  and  standing  he  prayed  to 
Gitchi  Manito  with  great  earnestness,  while  Wabish  and  the 
other  youngsters  thrilled  with  the  delight  of  it.  After  this  he 
laid  down  his  weapons  and  sang  the  death-song  of  the  Chipp- 
ewas, the  midi  beating  the  drum  meanwhile.  Then  the  Man  of 
Iron  resumed  his  war-gear  and  marched  off  around  the  fire  to 
the  music  of  the  drum. 

Hand-to-Hand  Battle 

He  showed  his  watchers  all  the  varieties  of  the  fighting  trail. 
There  was  the  snake-like  creeping  through  the  bush,  the  watch- 
ing from  behind  the  tree,  the  dropping  prone  to  avoid  discov- 
ery. He  wiggled  through  long  grass,  detoured  around  a  log, 
approached  an  enemy  camp  by  long  and  tedious  inches  and 
spied  upon  it.     Then  came  the  stealthy  surprise,   the  leap  into 

25 


the  Sioux  village,  the  lance  thrust,  the  swinging  axe,  the  panting 
and  terrific  hand-to-hand  battle.  And  finally  the  enemy  be- 
tween the  knees  of  the  Man  of  Iron,  the  knife  ripping  a  bloody 
circle  upon  his  head;  the  reeking  scalp  held  aloft,  and  the  yell 
of  triumph. 

The  Man  of  Iron  stood  once  more  by  the  fire,  beaded  with 
sw?at  and  leaning  upon  his  lance,  interpreting. 

"Once  we  Ojibways  set  out  from  Bowating  against  the 
Sioux.  We  were  one  hundred  or  more.  There  was  among  us 
a  courageous  man,  a  man  of  the  right  stamp,  who  burned  for 
honor  and  glory.  This  man  separated  from  the  others  and 
crept  onward  into  the  enemy's  country.  He  discovered  a  party 
of  the  foe,  two  men,  two  women,  and  three  children.  He  crept 
around  them  like  a  wolf,  he  crawled  up  to  them  like  a  snake, 
he  fell  upon  them  like  lightning,  cut  down  the  two  men  and 
sca'ped  them.  The  screaming  women  and  children  he  spared. 
He  seized  them  by  the  arm  and  threw  them  as  prisoners  to  hi9 
friends,  who  had  hastened  up  at  his  war-yell.  This  lightning, 
this  snake,  this  wolf,  this  man,  my  friends,  that  was — I!  I 
have  spoken!" 

Wabish  dreamed  all  that  night  of  fighting  and  scalping 
Sioux. 


Hub  of  the  Universe 

In  such  pleasing  fashion  did  he  and  his  brother  Chippewas 
spend  their  evenings  at  Bowating  in  the  olden  days,  when  they 
were  not  hunting  the  beasts  of  the  forests  or  their  hereditary 
enemies  the  Sioux  and  the  Iroquois.  Friendly  visitors  of 
Algonquin  stock  were  many.  Bowating  was  a  hub  of  the 
Algonquin  universe.  There  was  an  odor  of  sanctity  about  the 
rapids,  and  numbers  came  from  afar  to  visit  them.  It  was  a 
place  of  pilgrimage,  much  as  Mecca  is  to  the  Mohammedans. 
For  here,  the  traditions  said,  Gitchi  Manito  created  the  ancestors 
of  the  Chippewas,  and  here  Manibosho  succoured  and  blessed 
their  descendants.  And  from  here  the  Chippewa  Nation  spread 
down  into  the  land  of  Lower  Meetch  i  gong  and  westward 
around  the  lake  of  Gitchi  Gumi,  even  to  the  Turtle  Mountains 
a  thousand  miles  away. 

Tradition  aside,  we  know  that  communities  have  always 
centered  where  food  was  plentiful.  This  alone  would  account 
for  the  ancient  importance  of  Bowating,  where  the  pools 
swarmed  with  whitefish,  and  the  deer  and  moose,  following 
the  lake  shore  lines,  came  down  to  the  Chippewa  abiding-place 
as  in  a  net.  But  tradition  was  enough  for  Wabish,  and  he  never 
troubled  his  head  about  the  origin  of  his  ancestors,  leaving  the 
foolish  paleface  who  followed  him  to  figure  it  out  if  he  could. 
And  the  paleface  is  still  figuring. 

21 


Wabish  Is  Married 

The  day,  or  rather  the  night,  came  when  Wabish  dreamed 
of  himself  as  a  man.  Forthwith  he  built  a  wigwam  for  himself 
and  his  bride-to-be  on  the  shore  of  the  river  not  far  from  the 
rapids,  having  spied  a  girl  who  pleased  him.  He  went  down 
to  the  stream  one  morning  and  caught  a  loach.  This  he  cooked 
till  the  flesh  was  soft,  taking  the  flat  tail-bone  from  it  and 
sticking  it  in  his  long  hair.  Then  he  painted  many  colors  on 
his  face  and  body  and  donned  his  best  deer-skin,  leaving  the 
breast  open  so  that  his  landscaping  could  shine  abroad.  Suit- 
ably attired,  he  took  his  four-note  wood  flute  and  paraded  the 
village,  making  music  and  looking  very  sentimental  indeed. 
This  served  as  a  delicate  indication  of  his  intentions  and  caused 
a  great  flutter  in  the  lodges  where  marriageable  girls  resided. 
The  next  step  was  the  making  of  presents  to  the  parents  of  the 
only  girl,  who  had  already  shyly  received  his  gifts  and  knew 
what  was  coming.  The  presents  being  accepted  by  the  parents, 
Wabish  took  his  girl  by  the  hand  and  led  her  to  his  lodge,  and 
thus  were  they  married  in  the  Chippewa  fashion. 

With  a  family  to  support,  Wabish  became  a  great  hunter, 
fisher  and  fighter,  busying  himself  at  these  occupations  half  the 
year  and  taking  it  easy  the  other  half.  He  roved  far  and  wide 
in  his  hunting,  visiting  many  places  in  Chippewa-land  whose 
names  ended  in  -ing,  -ong,  or  -ung,  which  is  the  Chippewa  suffix 
for  locality.  Thus,  over  a  period  of  years,  he  hunted  or  sat 
in  council  at  Mun  os  kong,  The  Place  of  Sweet  Grass;  Che  mun  i 
sing,  Munising,  Big  Island;  Ge  ne  bee  tan  ung,  Nebeetung,  Nee- 
bish,  The  Place  of  Running  Water;  Meetch  i  gam  ing,  Michi- 
gamme,  Rippling  Water;  Pot  a  gan  nis  ing,  The  Bay  of  the  Gaps, 
or  The  Place  Where  Corn  Grows;  On  tan  a  gon  ing,  Ontonagon, 
lhe  Place  of  the  Bowl;  Ne  am  ik  ong,  The  Place  of  the  Reef; 
Pe  qua  quay  warn  ing,  The  Place  of  the  Headland;  Ish  pern  ing, 
The  High  Ground ;  Mus  ke  gong,  The  Big  Marsh ;  Go  ge  bic  og 
eb  ing,  Gogebic,  The  Diving  or  Swimming  Place;  Tah  quam  e 
nong,  The  Spearing  Place;  Che  bog  gong,  Cheboygan,  The  Nar- 
rows; We  que  ton  sing,  The  Little  Bay;  Chee  ka  gong,  Chicago, 
The  Place  of  Wild  Onions,  or  The  Place  of  Smells;  Kag  aw  ong, 
The  Place  of  the  Falls;  and  Man  i  to  wan  ing,  The  Home  of 
Manito. 

Wabish  Loved  to  Fish. 

Wabish  wasn't  naturally  bloodthirsty,  although  in  coun- 
cil he  appeared  with  a  feather  in  his  hair,  showing  that  he  had 
killed  his  man  among  the  Sioux.  Above  all  he  liked  to  fish 
in  the  clear,  swift-flowing  rapids,  where  the  whitefish  and 
sturgeon  awaited  his  coming.  With  a  steersman  in  the  stern 
of  his  canoe,  he  would  take  his  stand  in  the  bow  and  pole  up 
right  to  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  where  the  whitefish  swam,  heads 

27 


always  upstream,,  at  the  bottom  of  the  last  leap.  Here  he 
would  let  down  dexterously  his  scoop-net  with  its  long  slender 
hand'e,  ten  feet  or  more  in  length.  Descrying  a  school  of  fish 
below  or  alongside,  while  his  steersman  held  the  canoe  with  a 
pole,  he  swooped  up  a  number  of  the  fish,  instantly  reversing 
his  net  in  the  water  as  he  did  so,  whipped  it  up  with  a  mighty 
heave  and  discharging  its  contents  in  the  canoe.  This  he  re- 
peated until  his  canoe  was  full — it  took  but  a  little  while — when 
he  wouM  shoot  out  of  the  tail  of  the  rapids  and  make  for  shore. 
These  deer-of-the-water,  as  he  called  them,  the  gift  of  Manito, 
averaged  three  or  four  pounds  each,  and  often  he  caught  ten- 
pounders  or  larger.  This  sport  he  called  Nin  gi  goi  ke,  liter- 
ally, "I  make  fish." 

At  other  times  he  enjoyed  Nin  ak  wa  wa,  fishing  with  spears. 
The  deer-in-the-water  ran  best  in  the  autumnal  season,  but  win- 
ter and  summer,  night  and  day,  he  speared  huge  sturgeon  and 
little  herring  in  the  rapids  and  arour^l  Ma  ke  kee.  In  winter, 
spearing  was  almost  the  sole  method  of  catching  fish  at  Bowat- 
ing.  Naturally  so,  for  the  solid  ice  below  the  falls  presented 
the  firm  footing  necessary  for  the  fisherman  to  aim  and  throw 
with  certainty,  and  which  the  wabbling  canoe  did  not  afford 
him  so  well. 

Fishing  Through  the  Ice 

Down  on  the  ice  below  the  falls  Wabish  would  cut  with  his 
stone  hatchet  a  hole  in  the  ice  about  two  feet  in  diameter.  Over 
this  hole  he  built  a  hut  of  brush  and  covered  it  with  skins.  Into 
this  hut  he  inserted  the  upper  part  of  his  body,  legs  outside,  and 
his  face  over  the  hole.  The  light  fell  through  the  transparent 
ice  and  illumined  the  crystal  waters  all  around.  But  the  arti- 
ficial darkness  over  his  head  kept  off  any  reflections  from  the 
opening,  and  he  could  see  clearly  to  a  depth  of  forty  feet  and 
watch  the  movements  of  every  passing  fish. 

With  his  long  spear,  sharply  stone-barbed,  he  could  strike 
to  an  extraordinary  depth.  Thirty-five  or  forty  feet  in  length 
it  was,  its  butt  protruding  far  above  the  brush-top,  but  he 
handled  it  so  cleverly  that  his  prey  rarely  escaped  him.  Were 
the  water  beneath  quite  motionless  the  certainty  of  the  kill 
would  be  increased.  But  right  here,  where  the  largest  stur- 
geon lay  close  to  the  bottom,  the  rapid  flow  of  the  water  off  the 
rapids  impeded  his  skill  at  times.  So,  when  skill  failed  him 
singly,  he  employed  an  assistant. 

For  this  purpose  Wabish  sometimes  cut  a  small  channel 
from  the  main  hole  where  he  stood  or  lay,  through  the  ice  and 
against  the  current.  This  channel  was  about  thirty  feet  in 
lengh,  and  enabled  a  cord  tied  to  the  bottom  of  the  fish-spear 
to  be  freely  moved.  The  other  end  of  the  line  was  held  by 
a  helper  who  sat  at  the  extremity  of  the  channel  and  moved 

28 


the  cord  as  Wabish  signalled.  If  Wabish  saw  a  sturgeon  com- 
ing upstream,  moving  along  quickly  and  slowly  by  turns,  then 
stopping  altogether  as  sturgeon  are  wont  to  do,  he  manoeuvered 
to  get  his  spear  directly  over  the  fish's  back.  To  this  end  he 
would  signal  his  assistant  to  let  out  the  cord  a  little  or  pull  up 
slightly  till  the  barb  was  directly  above  the  fish.  Then  he  gave 
a  vicious  thrust  and  usually  brought  up  the  quivering  fish.  Thus 
did  Wabish  gain  his  daily  bread,  or  what  he  liked  much  better, 
his  daily  sturgeon. 

Used  a  Decoy 

Sturgeon  swim  very  deep,  and  could  be  caught  only  with 
long  spears.  But  other  fish  such  as  the  loach  and  herring 
could  be  decoyed  nearer  the  surface  and  speared  with  less  dif- 
ficulty. For  this  purpose  Wabish  carved  small  artificial  fish 
of  wood  or  bone,  much  like  a  herring,  and  stained  them  with 
berry-juice  or  charcoal.  These  he  attached  to  cords  and 
weighted  with  small  stones  so  that  they  would  sink  perpendic- 
ular in  the  water.  Lying  over  the  ice-hole,  he  spied  the  fish 
he  wanted  and  decoyed  it  to  him  until  he  could  spear  it  easily. 

Now  and  then  in  the  winter  season  the  fish  forsook  the 
rapids,  and  days  of  watching  brought  no  reward.  Then  if 
sufficient  fish  had  not  been  dried  in  the  fall,  or  if  deer  were 
not  plentiful,  the  situation  became  serious  and  a  bear-hunt 
was  organized.  At  such  a  time  Wabish  and  his  brothers  would 
assemble  in  the  medicine  man's  lodge,  excluding  the  women 
and  children.  The  jossakeed  sat  in  the  middle  of  the  lodge 
and  beat  his  drum,  while  the  braves  sat  around  the  wall  and 
sang  a  song  appropriate  to  the  occasion. 

Addresses  Stuffed  Bear 

The  jossakeed  filled  his  pipe  and  placed  it  beside  him  on 
two  crotched  sticks.  Before  him  was  a  cub  bear  skin,  stuffed. 
He  took  a  whiff  or  two  from  the  pipe  and  addressed  the  bear 
as  follows: 

"My  brother,  we  are  very  hungry.  In  fact,  we  are  on 
the  point  of  starving.  Have  pity  on  us  and  give  us  your  body, 
that  we  may  eat  and  not  starve." 

Then  he  took  the  medicine-drum  and  beat  it  lustily,  sing- 
ing songs  meanwhile  which  he  recited  from  a  piece  of  birch- 
bark,  on  which  they  were  written  in  hieroglyphics.  After  that 
he  passed  the  drum  and  birch-bark  to  the  nearest  Indian,  and 
so  around  the  circle,  until  all  had  smoked  and  sung  and  beaten 
the  drum,  a  matter  of  three  hours  or  so. 

Early  next  morning  the  hunters  all  went  to  the  medicine- 
bag  of  the  jossakeed,  which  hung  from  a  tree  before  his  lodge, 
and  took  from  it  vermilion  with  which  they  painted  themselves 
and  the  noses  of  their  dogs.     Thus  prepared  they  started  the 


hunt  in  different  directions,  and  being  inspired  with  faith  and 
goaded  on  by  hunger,  they  were  almost  sure  to  bring  home 
the  bacon  before  night. 


Knew  How  to  Evade  Starvation 

You  may  laugh  at  these  curious  fancies  of  Wabish  and  his 
friends.  But  how  long  would  you  have  lasted,  white  man, 
under  like  circumstances?  Even  now,  when  the  conveniences 
of  civilization  have  dulled  the  ancient  cunning  of  the  red  man, 
there  is  many  an  Indian  in  Chippewa  County  who  knows  how 
to  maintain  himself  comfortably  and  indefinitely  without 
weapons  or  even  a  match,  in  the  heart  of  the  woods,  winter  or 
summer.  How  long  would  it  take  you  to  starve  to  death  under 
similar  conditions? 

So  Wabish  went  out  and  arrowed  his  bear,  for  wherever 
it  might  be  hibernating  in  the  long  winter  sleep,  he  knew  by 
certain  signs  where  to  look  for  it  and  rout  it  from  its  hiding 
place.  And  as  he  stood  before  the  dying  beast,  he  leaned 
upon  his  bow  and  gravely  addressed  him  thus: 

"My  friend,  I  have  killed  thee,  much  against  my  will.  My 
family  awaits  me  at  the  tepee,  hungry  and  expectant.  Wouldst 
thou  have  me  return  empty-handed?  Thou  knowest  my  sore 
straits  and  the  necessity  which  compels  my  action.  I  promise 
that  thy  skin  shall  adorn  the  seat  of  honor  in  my  lodge,  and 
that  none  but  worthy  guests  shall  recline  upon  it.  May  thy 
soul  depart  in  peace,  to  roam  forever  in  the  forests  of  the  Great 
Spirit!" 

Wife  Brought  Game  Home 

When  the  winter  hunting  was  good,  Wabish  usually  re- 
turned to  Bowating  at  sundown,  often  spent  with  fatigue.  His 
wife  took  off  his  moccasins  and  placed  before  him  what  food 
she  had.  She  then  examined  his  hunting-pouch,  finding  the 
claws  or  beak  or  tongue  of  the  game,  and  other  indications 
by  which  she  knew  what  it  was  or  where  to  find  it.  Then 
she  went  and  brought  it  home.  No  word  was  spoken  till  re- 
freshments were  over.  Then  Wabish  related  the  events  of 
the  chase  to  his  wife  and  children,  smoked  his  pipe  and  turn- 
ed in. 

If  unsuccessful,  he  put  away  his  weapons  and  seated  him- 
self before  the  fire  with  great  dignity  and  composure.  He 
devoured  his  meal,  if  there  was  any,  without  saying  a  word. 
Although  all  might  be  burning  to  know  of  his  luck,  none  dared 
to  inquire.  His  first  pipe  smoked,  he  began  in  slow  and  solemn 
tones  to  relate  the  adventures  of  the  day.  He  freely  blamed 
his  wife  for  not  giving  proper  attention  to  his  commands;  or 
he  was  sure  the  children  had  given  wrong  bones  to  the  dogs. 

30 


He  had  had  bad  dreams  the  night  before.  That  morning  he 
had  seen  an  unlucky  bird.  He  could  not  expect  success  after 
such  negligence  or  such  a  bad  omen. 

Immortality  Escapes 

He  also  recalled  that  Manibosho  had  once  given  a  Bowating 
Indian  the  gift  of  immortality.  This  gift  was  tied  in  a  bundle, 
and  the  Indian  was  enjoined  never  to  open  it.  The  Indians 
wife,  however,  impelled  by  curiosity,  one  day  cut  the  string; 
whereupon  the  precious  gift  flew  out,  and  the  Indians  since 
that  have  been  subject  to  death.  Oh,  the  perverseness,  the 
futility,  of  woman! 

However,  as  Wabish  was  an  excellent  hunter,  he  seldom 
had  to  chide  his  wife  for  his  non-success. 

His  descendants  tell  that  once,  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  he 
was  hunting  at  Neebish.  He  was  smoking  on  a  knoll  with  a 
companion  when  he  saw  a  black  bear  coming  straight  toward 
him.  He  had  long  desired  to  "run  down"  a  bear,  a  feat 
seldom  accomplished  among  the  Indians,  but  one  to  be  re- 
membered and  recalled  with  pride  for  a  lifetime. 

If  he  had  cared  merely  to  kill  the  bear,  he  could  have 
concealed  himself  behind  the  hillock  and  shot  it  when  passing. 
But  anyone  could  do  that,  so  he  decided  on  a  bold  race  with 
bruin.  Motioning  his  friend  into  covert,  he  laid  down  his  arms 
and  hurriedly  stripped  off  his  clothing. 

Catches  Up  With  Bruin 

The  bear  came  up  and  Wabish  rose,  his  blood  leaping 
through  his  veins.  At  the  sight  of  his  enemy,  the  bear  bolted 
to  the  side  and  was  soon  a  long  distance  ahead.  But  his  in- 
creased speed  was  only  momentary.  After  a  little  his  stride 
grew  slower,  and  Wabish  felt  his  courage  increase  as  the  dis- 
tance between  them  decreased.  When  he  drew  close  up  to 
the  waddling  bear  the  latter  did  his  best  to  get  away,  but  he 
gave  in  more  quickly  this  time,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  long 
steady  trot  of  Wabish  brought  him  once  more  alongside  his 
victim. 

This  being  constantly  repeated,  the  extraordinary  exertions 
and  sudden  spurts  of  the  bear  grew  weaker,  and  the  hunter 
saw  plainly  that  the  animal  was  beginning  to  "sweat," — the 
term  the  Chippewas  apply  to  anyone  who  grows  tired.  But  at 
the  same  time  he  noticed  with  alarm  that  the  wide,  flat 
meadows  along  the  river  were  giving  out,  and  that  a  thick 
wood  was  close  at  hand.  The  matter  must  be  decided  quickly. 
Bruin  put  on  his  best  speed  in  order  to  reach  the  bush  in  a 
straight  line.  If  he  were  successful  the  chase  would  be  over, 
but  he  would  soon  find  a  hollow  tree  impenetrable  to  a  naked 

31 


man.  Wabish,  fearing  to  lose  the  renown  of  running  down  a 
bear,  put  forth  his  utmost  speed  and  managed  to  head  off  the 
bear  before  he  reached  the  timber,  driving  him  back  into  the 
open    meadows. 

For  a  moment  he  stopped,  took  a  huge,  deep  breath,  and 
panted:  "Now,  my  black  friend,  do  thv  best!  It's  two  les3 
against  four.  Thou  or  I  must  sweat.  And  I  want  thee,  oh, 
I  want  thee!" 

Bear  Is  Strangled 

And  away  they  went  over  the  grass  like  two  race-horses. 
But  it  was  soon  apparent  that  bruin  would  have  to  beg  quarter 
before  long,  for  his  hesitating  zig-zag  course  gave  the  hunter 
a  decided  superiority.  The  race  was  as  good  as  over;  the 
bear  was  lame  and  beaten,  his  opponent  hearty  and  active. 
Down  fell  the  bear  prostrate,  utterly  exhausted,  with  no  thought 
of  fight  left  in  him,  and  Wabish,  mounted  on  his  neck,  strangled 
him  with  his  bare  hands. 

His  comrade  brought  his  clothes,  weapons,  and  his  pipe, 
which  he  smoked  with  great  relish.  Then  they  took  the  car- 
cass home  to  Bowating,  where  it  was  eaten  at  a  festival  and 
due  religious  rites  were  paid  to  the  spirit  of  the  bear. 

This  exploit  brought  Wabish  much  fame  and  an  unpleas- 
ant experience.  A  young  Chippewa  girl  conceived  a  violent 
passion  for  him.  He  was,  of  course,  already  married,  and  his 
wife  drove  the  love-sick  miss  away,  disdaining  to  admit  a  rival. 
The  girl  in  desperation  offered  herself  as  a  slave  to  the  wife, 
declaring  her  willingness  to  carry  wood  and  water  and  to  lie 
at  her  feet,  if  only  she  might  live  within  Wabish's  lodge  and  be 
within  sight  of  him  daily.  At  length  she  prevailed  in  a  meas- 
ure, somewhat  to  the  embarrassment  of  Wabish,  who  wasn't 
a  woman's  man.  According  to  ancient  Chippewa  custom — 
for  polygamy  was  not  unknown  in  old  Bowating — her  residence 
in  Wabish's  wigwam  made  her  his  wife.  But  apparently  she 
was  willing  to  forego  all  the  privileges  of  a  wife.  She  endured 
for  some  time  with  resignation  and  even  with  joy  every  kind  of 
ill  usage  and  cruelty  from  the  first  wife;  until  at  length  this 
woman,  unable  to  suffer  longer  the  presence  of  a  rival,  one 
day  cleft  the  girl's  head  with  her  husband's  axe.  Wabish 
and  the  community  did  nothing  about  it.  There  was  nothing  he 
could  do,  as  a  Bowating  woman  was  mistress  of  her  own  wig- 
wam. It  was  unfortunate,  of  course,  but  such  were  the  tribula- 
tions of  a  hero. 

Women  Had  Their  Rights 

Women  had  rights  in  those  days.  Near  Wabish's  lodge 
there  lived  a  single  woman,  who  remained  unmarried  from 
choice,  not  from  accident  or  necessity.  In  her  youth  she  had 
dreamed  of  her  marriage  to  the  sun,  who  was  also  her  tutelary 

32 


The  Old  State  Lock 


.*,. 


Henry  R.  Schoolcraft's  Old  Home 


spirit.  She  lived  alone  in  a  wigwam  at  the  river's  edge.  She 
learned  to  hunt  and  became  a  skillful  user  of  the  bow,  pro- 
viding herself  with  food  and  clothing.  She  carved  an  image 
>f  the  sun  and  set  it  up  in  her  home.  She  put  it  in  the  hus- 
band's place,  and  the  best  mat  and  a  portion  of  food  were 
always  before  this  image.  She  lived  to  a  great  age,  and  no 
one  ever  criticised  her  or  interfered  with  her  mode  of  life. 

Another  Chippewa  woman  in  the  village  live  a  miserable  life 
with  her  children  and  her  sickly  husband.  Her  hope  was  in  her 
eldest  son,  who  had  developed  into  a  good  hunter  and  was  on 
his  way  to  become  the  head  of  the  family. 

A  Deadly  Romance 

It  was  a  crushing  blow  to  the  family  when  the  young  war- 
rior was  attacked  on  a  distant  expedition  by  the  Sioux,  killed 
and  scalped.  All  his  people  fell  into  a  state  of  melancholy; 
they  blackened  their  faces,  mourned  for  him  daily,  and  treas- 
ured up  a  thirst  for  revenge.  Soon  his  sister,  a  girl  of  seven- 
teen, began  to  beat  the  war-drum,  mutter  wild  songs,  and 
"dream."  It  was  revealed  to  her  that  the  only  means  of  con- 
solation for  her  family  lay  in  the  death  of  her  own  lover. 

This  beloved  of  her  heart  was  a  youth  of  the  Sioux  Nation, 
whom  she  had  met  when  he  came  with  his  father  to  sit  in  coun- 
cil at   Bowating.      That  was  in  a  happier  and   more  peaceful 
i  time,  in  an  interval  between  the  eternal  wars  of  the  two  tribes. 
He  belonged  now  to  the  band  that  had  killed  her  brother. 

This  girl  traversed  the  hills,  streams  and  forests  to  the  ter- 
ritory of  the  Sioux.  In  the  night  she  made  her  way  into  their 
encampment  and  crept  noiselessly  and  unnoticed  to  her  lover's 
lodge.  She  found  him,  gave  him  a  signal,  whispered  to  him 
through  the  cracks  of  the  airy  pole  hut  and  invited  him  to  come 
out.  Surprised  and  pleased  and  filled  with  longing,  out  he 
came  into  the  forest  with  the  maid  of  his  heart.  No  sooner 
had  they  embraced  than  she  became  his  angel  of  death;  she 
knifed  him  to  the  heart,  scalped  him  and  disappeared.  Home 
she  came  safely,  and  there  she  was  regarded  as  a  benefactress 
of  her  family  and  a  great  heroine.  She  walked  in  procession 
through  the  village  and  the  scalp  was  borne  before  her  as  a 
banner.  Afterward  she  became  a  jossakeed,  performed  miracles 
and  was  a  celebrated  phrophetess.  The  scalp  of  her  lover  was 
hung  upon  the  wall  of  the  medicine  temple  and  was  seen  long 
after  by  the  whites.  It  was  carefully  stretched  on  a  wooden 
ring  and  so  profusely  adorned  with  feathers  and  the  tails  of 
animals  that  the  skin  and  hair  was  almDst  entirely  covered. 

33 


Great  Councils  Held  Here 

Council  times  were  great  days  for  Wabish  and  his  com- 
peers at  Bowating.  Here  came  by  the  converging  water- 
courses in  times  of  peace  the  outlying  bands  of  Chippewas, 
the  Hurons,  Ottawas,  Potawatomies,  Sauks,  Foxes  and  Sioux. 
Even  the  Crees  came  from  the  north  shore  of  Gitchi  Gumi  and 
tradition  tells  us  that  on  one  occasion  the  Ash  ki  maug,  whom 
we  know  as  Eskimos,  sent  a  delegation  from  the  frozen  polar 
seas  to  sit  in  council  at  Bowating. 

At  such  times  as  these  the  shores  of  the  rapids  rioted  in  a 
mass  of  color  never  since  approached.  Daily  Wabish  set  up 
his  totem-flag  before  the  lodge,  and  daily  he  painted  his  face 
with  an  extraordinary  mixture  of  the  graceful  and  the  grotesque. 

He  and  his  friends  were  as  fond  of  contrast  in  decoration 
as  are  the  ladies  of  our  time.  Sometimes  they  observed  the 
natural  facial  divisions  of  eye,  nose  and  mouth,  and  painted 
accordingly,  surrounding  the  eyes  with  regular  colored  circles, 
with  yellow  and  black  stripes  issuing  harmoniously  from  the 
corners  of  the  mouth.  On  their  cheeks  they  drew  semi-circles 
of  green  dots,  the  ears  forming  the  center.  To  complete  the 
color  scheme,  the  forehead  was  traversed  by  parallel  horizontal 
blue  lines.  This  made  them  look  almost  human,  so  to  speak, 
because  the  fundamental  character  of  the  face  was  unaltered. 

On  other  days,  however,  such  regular  patterns  did  not  suit 
their  taste.  When  the  whim  seized  them  they  divided  the  face 
into  two  halves,  one  of  which  they  painted  black  and  the  other 
yellow  or  bright  red.  An  artistic  touch  was  added  by  thick 
lines  made  cross-wise  by  their  four  fingers,  or  fine  lines  pro- 
duced by  the  application  of  a  porcupine-quill  brush. 

Sometimes  the  line  of  demarcation  ran  from  the  nose,  so 
that  the  right  cheek  was  buried  in  gloom,  while  the  left  was 
all  a-blaze  like  a  flower-bed  in  the  sunshine.  Again,  they 
drew  the  line  across  the  nose,  so  that  their  black  eyes  glistened 
out  of  a  sea  of  dark  color,  while  all  beneath  the  nose  was 
bright  and  lustrous.  And  when  an  enterprising  brave  com- 
bined the  two  schools,  the  effect  was  that  of  a  rainbow  struck 
by  lightning. 

Squaws  Did  Not  Paint 

But  in  the  ancient  capital  of  Bowating  the  squaws  never 
dreamed  of  smearing  their  faces,  except  with  charcoal  in  times 
of  mourning. 

Here  by  the  side  of  the  rapids  for  no  one  knows  how  many 
hundreds  of  years,  were  discussed  and  settled  the  disputes  and 
questions  arising  among  Indians  occupying  a  million  square 
miles  of  territory.  The  pipe  of  peace  passed  from  lodge  to  tent, 
from  mouth  to  mouth,  among  thousands  of  warriors.  Pro- 
cessions moved  up  and  down  the  village,  which  was  swollen 

34 


In  these  periods  to  great  proportions.  War-flags  stood  side 
by  side  in  friendly  companionship,  the  very  standards  perhaps 
that  would  be  opposed  in  bitter  fighting  within  a  moon  or  two. 
The  monotonous  thump  of  the  Indian  drum  resounded  every- 
where. There  were  dances  and  songs  innumerable,  and  ora- 
tions that  would  have  done  credit  to  a  Depew  or  Webster. 
And  at  the  end  of  every  speech  there  was  tremendous  applause, 
all  the  Indians  stamping  and  uttering  their  war-yells,  holding 
:hcir  hands  to  their  mouth  trumpet-fashion. 

Double-Cross  Was  the  Rule 

Loud  and  deep  were  the  protestations  of  friendship  and 
Drotherly  love  in  the  councils  of  the  tribes  at  Bowating.  Spirit- 
id  was  the  jockeying  for  tribal  advantage  of  boundaries  and 
mnting-grounds.  The  right  hand  was  held  forward  in  token 
>f  good-will  while  the  left  concealed  a  deadly  snickersee.  The 
Dolitical  double-cross  was  the  rule  then,  as  it  is  now.  The  pro- 
;eedings,  in  short,  were  in  line  with  the  best  traditions  of  our 
nodern  diplomats.  It  is  clearly  a  mistake  to  regard  the  old- 
ime  Indian  as  uncivilized.  He  was  up  to  snuff  hundreds  of 
'ears  before  we  were  born. 

Could  you  have  stood,  say,  where  Portage  Avenue  bridge 
s  now,  and  looked  westward  on  one  of  those  ancient  council 
nornings,  a  fascinating  scene  would  have  filled  your  eye. 
jone  are  the  white  man's  dwellings  and  docks  of  Sault  Ste. 
Vlarie,  and  Brady  Field  lies  beneath  the  foaming  rapids,  not 
o  emerge  for  two  hundred  years  or  more.  A  pleasant  plain 
greets  the  eye,  flanked  by  woods  to  the  south,  and  the  grass 
hereon  is  green  but  short,  discouraged  by  the  soft  moccasins 
>n  thousands  of  Indian  feet.  And  on  that  plain  is  a  forest  of 
epees,  lodges,  skin  tents,  wigwams  with  criss-crossed  poles 
protruding  at  the  top,  bark  medicine  houses,  totem  poles  and 
he  tall  banners  of  chiefs  and  clans.  The  lanes  in  this  com- 
aunity  forest  wind  and  twist  all  the  way  to  the  hill  beside 
he  rapids,  the  hill  which  begins  where  the  circular  flower- 
ed is  now  in  the  locks  park,  for  east  of  that  a  fill  was  made 
Dng  after.  The  hill  is  a  place  of  sepulchre  for  Chippewa  chiefs 
nd  their  families.  The  odd  frameworks  you  see  are  the 
our-poled  platforms  on  which  their  bodies  lie. 

Babel  of  Indian  Tongues 

But  the  plain  swarms  with  the  living.  Furred,  feathered 
nd  painted,  Splotching  the  meadows  with  bright  colors,  they 
rowd  around  the  pennant  of  some  favorite  chief,  or  gather 
bout  the  smoky  camp-fires,  or  welcome  the  late  comers  at 
le  shore,  where  a  thousand  canoes  already  deck  the  beach, 
'oppery  skins  glisten  everywhere  in  the  bright  sunshine.  There 
i  a  medley  of  sounds  as  well;  the  puttering  voice  of  the  Sioux, 

35 


the  deep  guttural  tones  of  the  Chippewas,  the  pitched  tones 
of  the  lower-lake  Hurons;  the  shrill  yip-yipping  of  the  northern 
wolf-dogs,  children  calling  one  another  cheerily  across  the  green, 
the  piping  gulls  circling  overhead.  And  winging  over  and 
through  this  Babel  comes  the  deep  and  steady  diapason  of  the 
rapids  unconfined. 

It  would  have  been  worth  your  while  to  look  upon  a  council 
in  session  in  the  great  lodge  extended  perhaps  a  hundred  feet 
for  the  occasion.  Here  were  rows  on  rows  of  petty  chiefs  and 
their  retainers,  with  the  great  captains  of  clans  and  tribes  in 
the  place  of  honor  on  the  raised  dais.  In  the  center  burned 
the  never-dying  fire  brought  hither  by  its  keepers;  and  beside 
it  stood  the  war-post,  quivering  under  the  whacks  of  the  orators 
as  they  recounted  their  exploits.  Piles  of  kinnikinnick  lay  be- 
fore the  jossakeeds,  who  filled  the  painted  pipes  with  solemn 
ceremony  and  passed  them  from  hand  to  hand.  The  precious 
wampun  was  raised  and  presented;  minstrels  and  story-tellers 
entertained  the  assembly;  and  everlasting  drums  tortured  the  air 
throughout  the  day. 

It  was  a  great  day  for  the  Saulteur  youngsters.  And  when 
the  council  folded  its  tents  and  silently  stole  away,  the  Bowating 
boys  and  girls  cherished  pleasant  memories  of  it  for  a  long  time, 
and  wished  there  could  be  another  council.  To  them  it  was 
as  good  as  a  circus. 

Wabish  Grows  Old  and  Dies 

Our  typical  Bowatinger  Wabish  passed  from  phase  to  phase, 
and  presently  found  himself  an  old  man.  His  joints  creaked 
in  the  chase  and  he  no  longer  loved  to  fish,  for  he  found  the 
water  cold.  He  preferred  to  sit  by  the  fire  and  smoke,  and 
recount  to  himself  the  great  deeds  of  his  youth.  He  lived  in 
the  past,  as  most  old  men  of  all  races  do,  and  discerned  that  he 
had  been  skidded  into  the  background  by  the  younger  genera- 
tion. But  he  was  a  philosopher  in  his  way,  and  he  comforted 
himself  with  the  reflection  that  age  had  its  compensations,  one 
of  which  was  that  others  cheerfully  did  his  fighting  and  his 
foraging  for  him.  Chippewa  children  have  been  taught  to 
honor  their  parents  ever  since  there  were  Chippewas,  and  his 
children  were  no  exception. 

When  the  Beaver  Moon  had  passed  and  the  Hunting  Moon 
of  December  was  approaching,  Wabish  became  aware  that  he 
must  shortly  die.  He  was  toothless  and  dropsical,  and  he  fell 
a  prey  to  pleurisy.  His  people  sent  for  the  jossakeed,  wh< 
came  and  knelt  before  Wabish  on  his  couch  of  skins.  Th< 
medicine  man's  chief  remedy  was  a  carefully  polished  holloa 
bone.  This  bone,  which  was  about  three  inches  long  and  a* 
thick  as  a  finger,  the  medicine  man  repeatedly  swallowed,  thei 
brought  it  up  again,  blew  on  Wabish  through  it,  sucked  up  th( 

36 


skin  on  His  breast  through  it,  and  then  ejected  the  illness  he 
had  drawn  out,  with  many  strange  and  terrible  convulsions  and 
grimaces.     But  it  was  of  no  avail,  for  Wabish  died  that  night. 

The  next  day  kind  hands  attired  the  body  in  his  best,  and 
sat  it  in  the  husbands  place.  His  weapons  were  placed  beside 
him  and  his  relatives  and  friends  gathered  around.  After  a 
long  silence  one  of  them  addressed  him  thus:  , 


The  Great  Country  of  Souls 

"My  brother,  you  still  sit  among  us,  and  your  person  retains 
its  familiar  form,  without  any  visible  change  except  that  it  has 
lost  the  power  of  action.  But  whither  has  that  breath  blown 
that  not  long  ago  sent  up  smoke  to  Gitchi  Manito?  Why  are 
those  lips  silent,  that  lately  spoke  to  us  in  pleasing  language? 
Alas,  every  part  of  that  frame  once  so  supple  and  active  has  now 
become  lifeless  and  still.  Thou  art  not,  however,  forever  lost  to 
us,  nor  shall  thy  name  be  forgotten.  Thy  soul  lives  in  the 
Great  Country  of  Spirits  with  those  of  thy  nation  who  have 
gone  before  thee,  and  though  we  are  left  behind  to  mourn  thy 
loss  here,  we  shall  one  day  join  thee.  Wabish  ke  pe  nace, 
White  Bird,  with  the  respect  we  bore  thee  while  living,  we 
come  now  to  tender  thee  the  last  act  of  kindness  in  our  power 
to  bestow.  Thy  body  shall  not  lie  neglected  on  the  shore,  a 
prey  to  the  beasts  of  the  forest  or  the  fowls  of  the  air.  We 
will  take  care  to  lay  it  with  those  who  have  gone  before  thee; 
and  we  trust  thy  spirit  will  join  their  spirits  and  be  ready  to 
receive  ours,  when  we  also  shall  arrive  at  the  Great  Country 
of  Souls." 

After  an  interval  another  spoke: 

"A  White  Bird  cleaved  the  blue  at  Bawating,  strong- 
pinioned  and  graceful.  He  stood  upright  among  his  fellows,  he 
fought  valiantly  with  them  against  the  common  enemy.  He 
was  good  to  his  young,  and  the  friend  of  all.  One  day,  how- 
ever, by  command  of  the  Great  Spirit,  lightning  struck  the  White 
Bird  and  brought  him  to  the  ground.  There  remained  but  to 
inter  him  with  the  ceremony  due  so  great  and  good  a  being. 
Wabish  e  bun,  Wabish  was,  but  is  no  more.  May  the  Great 
Spirit  grant  us  all  to  live  with  credit  to  the  nation  and  to  die 
in  peace  with  fortitude,  as  did  Wabish." 

When  the  eulogies  were  finished,  the  body  of  Wabish  was 
wrapped  and  tied  securely  in  rolls  of  birch-bark,  and  taken  out 
of  the  lodge  through  a  hole  cut  in  the  side.  Many  mourners 
followed  it  to  the  hill,  where  it  was  placed  upon  a  platform, 
with  his  weapons  and  a  supply  of  food  sufficient  for  the  needs 
of  his  spirit  until  it  should  arrive  at  the  Isles  of  the  Blest.  Nor 
were  certain  charms  and  amulets  forgotten,  for  the  confusion 
of  any  evil  demons  that  might  be  encountered   on  the  road. 

37 


And  four  nights  a  fire  burned  beside  the  platform,  where  the 
flag-pole  stands  now,  to  light  his  spirit  on  its  way. 

A  Library  Now  Covers  the  Spot 

On  returning  from  the  burial-ground,  Wabish's  family  and 
others  pulled  down  the  whole  house,  put  out  the  fire  and  went 
to  live  with  relatives.  In  the  spring  they  built  a  new  habitation 
at  some  distance  from  the  old  where  Wabish  died.  With  the 
remains  of  others  deceased  during  the  winter,  his  body  was 
interred  in  the  ground  south  of  the  village.  Centuries  after, 
this  Chippewa  burying-ground  was  forgotten  and  obliterated, 
and  a  Carnegie  Library  building  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the 
grave  of  Wabish. 

His  people  and  all  the  dwellers  in  Bowating  believed  in  the 
immortality  of  the  soul,  and  none  of  them  who  had  known 
Wabish  in  the  flesh  doubted  that  somewhere  he  lived  on.  They 
said  that  death  was  no  evil,  but  a  transition  whereby  all  good 
Chippewas  might  enter  into  greater  happiness.  Paradise,  to 
them,  was  a  far-off  country  toward  the  west,  a  bright  land 
abounding  in  lakes  and  rivers  full  of  fish,  where  the  skies  were 
always  unclouded  and  perpetual  spring  prevailed.  The  forests 
there  were  filled  with  game,  to  be  taken  without  painful  ex- 
ertion or  hardship.  Pain  and  cold  never  enter  there,  and  all 
things  necessary  for  the  comfort  of  mankind  were  provided  by 
Gitchi  Manito,  who  welcomed  his  children  on  the  banks  of  a 
beautiful  river,  and  bestowed  eternal  happiness  on  those  sep- 
arated ones  who  met  to  part  no  more. 

Some  years  ago  when  the  first  edition  of  this  work  was 
issued,  the  authors  findings  concerning  the  coming  of  the  first 
white  man  to  Bowating  and  Gitchi  Gumi  were  the  subjects  of 
considerable  chaffing  and  criticism  from  his  friends.  At  that 
time  Butterfield's  "Brule's  Discoveries  and  Explorations"  had 
been  before  the  public  but  a  comparatively  brief  time,  and  his 
book  was  unknown  to  many  in  the  United  States.  Mr.  Benja- 
min Suites  scholarly  researches  had  not  been  published,  al- 
though he  had  made  claim  to  this  honor  for  Brule  in  1907 
before  the  Royal  Society.  Mr.  James  Curran,  Editor  of  the 
Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Ontario,  Daily  Star,  had  not  published  his 
articles  on  Brule,  and  the  Dominion  of  Canada  had  not  officially 
recognized,  in  the  Canada  Year  Book,  Brule  jas  the  discoverer 
of  |Lake  Superior  and  the  Bowating  or  Asticou  Rapids. 

Little  doubt  now  remains  that  Etienne  Brule,  Frenchman, 
pioneer  of  pioneers,  interpreter  for  Champlain,  may  fairly  claim 
to  have  turned  the  first  leaf  in  the  white  man's  history  of 
Bowating,  or  Sault  Ste.  Marie  as  we  know  it;  and  consequently 
of  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota  and  the  great  Northwest  of 
the  United  States  and  Canada.  Indeed  there  is  evidence  that 
he  wandered  at  least  to  the  Western  confines  of  Lake  Superior 

38 


in  or  about  the  year  1822,  twelve  years  before  the  coming  of 
Jean  Nicolet  to  Bowating. 

Brule  Was  Not  a  Writer 

It  took  a  careful  and  minute  examination  of  the  writings  of 
the  historian  Sagard  by  Suite,  Butterfield,  Curran  and  others  to 
balance  the  books  for  Brule.  As  far  as  we  know  Brule  never 
wrote  a  line  of  history.  He  came  out  from  Champigny,  France, 
in  1  608,  seventy-four  years  after  the  first  landing  of  Jacques 
Cartier,  and  five  years  after  Champlain's  first  coming  to  the 
new  world.  In  1610  Champlain,  Governor  of  New  France  at 
Quebec,  sent  Brule  at  the  age  of  seventeen  to  the  Hurons  as  a 
hostage,  and  to  learn  the  Indian  tongue.  Champlain  wanted  a 
competent  interpreter  and  in  return  he  received  at  Quebec  an 
Indian  youth,  the  son  of  a  Chief,  for  the  purpose  of  acquainting 
him  with  the  ways  of  civilization. 

Brule  spent  a  year  with  the  Hurons,  mastered  their  language, 
and  doubtless  became  nearly  as  savage  as  they.  He  returned 
only  occasionally  to  Quebec,  and  in  1615  he  volunteered  to 
go  through  the  enemy  Iroquois  country  to  the  southward  on  a 
mission  to  the  friendly  Andastes.  Remaining  with  them  for  a 
year,  he  was  captured  by  the  Iroquois  on  his  homeward  journey 
and  was  put  to  torture  near  the  head-waters  of  the  Susquehanna 
River.  He  was  then  twenty-three  years  of  age.  Tied  to  the  stake, 
his  beard  was  torn  out  piecemeal  and  his  body  was  singed  from 
head  to  foot  with  firebrands.  One  of  his  captors  reached  for 
an  amulet  hanging  on  Brule's  breast,  and  the  latter  warned  him 
in  the  Huron  tongue,  which  was  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Iroquois,  that  the  charm  if  touched  would  bring  death  to  all  his 
torturers.  Even  as  he  spoke  a  fierce  and  sudden  thunder  storm 
broke  above  their  heads,  and  the  superstitious  Indians  fled 
in  terror. 

Is  Treated  With  Honor 

When  the  storm  had  passed,  the  Indians  returned  and  freed 
Brule  from  the  stake.  They  took  him  to  their  lodges  and  care- 
fully dressed  his  wounds,  treated  him  with  all  honor,  and  soon 
turned  him  loose  at  the  northern  border  of  their  territory, 
whence    he  found  his  way  back  to  his  friends. 

The  following  year  this  restless  Frenchman  started  west. 
He  had  two  reasons  for  coming  our  way:  one  a  commission 
from  Champlain  to  explore  the  country,  and  another  the  receipt 
of  one  hundred  pistoles  or  two  hundred  dollars  per  year  from 
the  Quebec  traders,  for  inducing  the  Indians  to  go  down  to  the 
St.  Lawrence  with  their  furs.  We  have  no  positive  evidence 
that  he  reached  Gitchi  Gumi  on  this,  his  first  journey  westward, 
although  it  is  possible  that  he  toiled  his  way  through. 

Since   Champlain   says   little   or   nothing   about   discoveries 

39 


in  the  west  by  Brule,  we  must  turn  to  Gabriel  Sagard  and  his 
Histoire  du  Canada  for  information.  We  find  Sagard  at 
Huronia  with  some  Recollet  priests  in  1623 — himself  not  being 
in  holy  orders — and  in  Quebec  the  year  following,  whence  he 
soon  returned  to  France.  The  Iroquois  were  very  bothersome 
during  Sagard' s  stay  in  New  France.  They  were  mortal  enemies 
of  the  French  and  desired  the  fur  trade  of  the  latter  which  was 
developing  down  the  St.  Lawrence.  In  1622  thirty  or  so  canoe 
loads  of  Iroquois  had  made  a  foray  as  far  as  Quebec.  History 
writing  under  these  conditions  must  have  been  difficult.  It 
is  no  wonder  that  the  modern  narrator,  anxious  for  the  facts 
of  the  period,  occasionally  finds  himself  in  a  fog  of  doubtful 
silence  or  a  sea  of  conflicting  statements.  But  we  do  know 
that  Brother  Sagard  was  with  Brule  and  talked  with  him  in  the 
Huron  country  in  1623,  and  in  Quebec  the  following  year. 

Brought  a  Copper  Ingot 

Among  other  things  Sagard  has  this  to  say  of  Brule: 

"The  Hurons  in  some  places  had  copper  of  which  I  had 
seen  a  little  ingot  near  Mer  Douce  (Lake  Huron),  which  in- 
terpreter Brule  brough  us  from  a  nation  about  80  leagues  (240 
miles)  from  the  Hurons.  About  1  00  leagues  from  the  Hurons 
there  is  a  mine  of  copper  from  which  the  interpreter  showed 
me  an  ingot  on  his  return  from  a  voyage  he  had  made  to  a 
neighboring  nation  with  a  man  named  Grenolle   ....** 

"Interpreter  Brule  has  assured  us  that  above  the  Mer  Douce 
there  is  a  very  large  lake  which  empties  into  it  over  rapids 
nearly  two  leagues  in  width,  which  he  has  named  Saut  de 
Gaston;  which  lake  with  the  Mer  Douce  takes  about  thirty  days 
canoe  travel,  according  to  the  report  of  the  savages,  and  of  the 
interpreter,   400  leagues  in  length   ....*' 

"One  of  our  Frenchmen,  having  been  trading  with  a  north- 
ern nation,  near  the  copper  mine  about  1 00  leagues  from  us, 
told  us  on  his  return  of  having  seen  there  several  girls  who  had 
had  the  ends  of  their  noses  cut  off  because  they  had  been 
guilty  of  a  breach  of  their  honor " 

May  Have  Visited  Lake  Michigan 

Of  Grenolle  we  know  practically  nothing  except  that  he 
was  the  companion  of  Brule.  But  we  do  know  that  the  Sioux 
Indians  at  the  western  end  of  Lake  Superior  were  wont  to 
punish  their  unchaste  women  by  cutting  their  noses,  so  it  would 
seem  reasonably  certain  that  Brule  and  perhaps  Grenolle  had 
penetrated  far  inland  beyond  Bowating.  There  is  some  evi- 
dence that  one  or  both  of  them  visited  Lake  Michigan  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Green  Bay. 

Inasmuch  as  Brule  does  not  appear  to  have  gone  farther 
west  than  Manitoulin  on  his   1617  journey,  on  account  of  In- 

40 


dian  wars  in  that  vicinity,  it  may  reasonably  appear  that  the 
year  in  which  Brule  and  perhaps  the  shadowy  Grenolle  visited 
us  was  1  622. 

Champ  lain  Hated  Brule 

We  might  expect  to  find  corroborative  evidence  of  Brule's 
explorations  in  the  writings  of  Champlain,  did  we  not  know 
that  Champlain  came  to  hate  Brule  in  his  latter  days.  He 
accused  Brule  of  being  "abandoned  to  women;"  of  consorting 
freely  with  the  Indian  girls,  of  whom  many,  he  tells  us,  were 
very  beautiful  and  attractive  in  figure;  of  treacherously  de- 
serting the  French  for  the  English,  although  it  appears  that 
it  was  Brule  who  was  deserted;  and  of  comporting  himself  in  a 
general  way  as  a  savage.  But  inasmuch  as  it  was  Champlain 
who  sent  Brule  among  the  savages  when  a  boy,  and  kept  him 
there  for  a  year  to  learn  their  language  and  their  way3,  if  any- 
one was  to  blame  for  Brule's  fall  from  grace  was  it  not  Cham- 
plain himself? 

"This  poor  Brule,"  writes  Sagard,  "is  not  very  devout, 
and  not  much  given  to  praying."  It  is  difficult  to  see  how  he 
could  have  been  devout  after  his  savage  youth. 

Champlain  accuses  Brule  of  selling  himself  to  the  English 
after  the  fall  of  Quebec.  But  we  learn  to  our  surprise  that 
Champlain,  after  the  return  of  the  French  to  Quebec,  sent  back 
an  Indian  boy,  who  had  been  educated  in  France,  to  his  father 
in  the  west,  in  charge  of  Etienne  Brule. 

Brule  Killed  and  Eaten 

Brule  appears  to  have  made  his  home  more  or  less  per- 
panently  among  the  Indians  in  the  village  of  Toanche,  one  of 
the  chief  towns  of  the  Huron  nation,  located  on  the  north  shore 
of  Penetang  Bay.  He  was  killed  there  by  the  Hurons  in  June, 
1633,  and  his  body  eaten.  No  one  knows  whether  he  died  in 
some  private  brawl,  or  as  a  result  of  Huron  animosity  aroused 
by  his  defection  to  the  English.  Brother  Sagard  was  then  living 
in  France,  but  hearing  of  the  affair  through  letters  from  Canada, 
he  writes: 

"Brule  was  condemned  to  death,  then  eaten  by  the  Hurons 
to  whom  for  a  long  time  he  served  as  interpreter,  and  all  for 
a  dislike  they  had  against  him  for  I  know  not  what  fault  he  had 
committed  against  them.  He  lived  among  them  many  years, 
living  as  one  of  them,  serving  as  interpreter  to  the  French,  and 
after  all  has  received  for  pay  only  a  sad  death  and  an  un- 
happy end." 

While  the  English  held  Quebec  the  Indians  came  no  more 
to  trade  there,  but  in  1633,  Champlain  having  returned  to  his 
capital,  a  number  of  Hurons  from  Toanche  came  down  with  the 
Indian  youth  Amentache,  whom  Brule  had  escorted  home  from 
Quebec  in   1629.     Amentache  excused  Brule's  death  to  Cham- 

41 


plain  on  the  ground  that  the  former  had  left  Champlain's  ser- 
vice to  go  with  the  English. 

Bones  Moved  to  Ossossane 

Father  Brebeuf  visited  Toanche  in  1 634  and  saw  the  place 
where  poor  Brule  had  been  murdered,  but  the  village  no  longer 
existed,  for  excepting  one  cabin  nothing  remained  but  the  ruins 
of  the  others.  Not  long  after  Brule's  death  fever  broke  out 
in  Toanche  and  many  of  the  Hurons  died  miserably.  The  sick 
ones  were  sure  they  saw  Brule's  spectre  or  that  of  his  sister 
hovering  above  the  village,  breathing  forth  flames  and  pestil- 
ence. Knowing  the  site  to  be  accursed,  they  burned  the  village 
and  moved  to  another  location  some  miles  away.  Four  years 
later  the  Indians  at  the  time  of  one  of  their  feasts  of  the  dead, 
removed  Brule's  bones  to  Ossossane,  on  the  shore  or  Notta- 
wasaga  Bay  near  Varwood  Point.  There  they  probably  rest 
today,  somewhere  in  the  ground  known  as  the  Grozelle  farm, 
and  within  sight  of  the  great  fresh  water  lake  which  he  was  the 
first  white  man  to  see.; 

Mr.  Benjamin  Suite,  the  eminent  Canadian  historian,  writes 
of  Brule: 

"He  was  a  man  little  known  in  history,  but  celebrated  in 
his  time  among  the  French  in  Canada,  because  he  surpassed  in 
geographical  knowledge  all  the  explorers  of  Upper  Canada  and 
the  territory  surrounding  it.  He  had  failed  to  attract  the  at- 
tention of  Europe,  its  papers  and  learned  societies.  Besides, 
he  worked  alone,  without  the  aid  of  anyone,  without  ambition 
or  fame,  like  an  humble  courier  de  bois  that  he  was.  His  taste 
for  savage  life  served  him  for  inspiration,  he  drew  from  it  his 
means  of  existence,  his  temperament,  his  European  origin  dis- 
posing him  to  enlarge  from  year  to  year  the  circle  of  his  travels. 

"A  number  of  couriers  de  bois  had  done  like  him,  only 
their  discoveries  had  brought  nothing  to  them.  Since  1616 
he  had  traveled  Upper  Canada  from  north  to  south,  visited 
Pennsylvania,  Chesapeake  Bay  to  the  ocean.  In  1622  he  went 
around  Lake  Superior.  It  can  hardly  be  said  that  there  were 
three  houses  in  Quebec  between  these  two  dates. 

Brule's  Name  to  Remain 

"It  is  regrettable  that  on  the  moral  side,  one  cannot  admit 
Etienne  Brule  in  the  same  category  as  Jean  Nicolet,  Jacques 
Hertel,  Jean  and  Thomas  Godefroy,  who  worthily  filled  their 
careers  as  interpreters  and  then  became  serious  colonists.  He 
became  like  others  whom  savage  life  had  absorbed.  But  these 
do  not  shine  in  history,  while  Brule  has  graven  his  name  on  vast 
domains  and  such  as  he  is  we  must  accept  him,  under  penalty 
ot  committing  an  injustice  in  keeping  silence  on  this  subject." 

42 


There  is  littte  doubt  that  Brule  should  rank  with  Radisson, 
Joliet,  La  dalle  and  other  famous  explorers.  The  real  discov- 
erer of  ihe  three  largest  Great  Lakes,  and  the  first  white  man 
to  set  foot  upon  territory  ranging  from  the  site  of  Duluth  to 
that  of  Baltimore,  has  earned  the  right  to  fame,  and  his  name 
should  not  b*  allowed  to  sink  into  oblivian.  Honor  to  Brule, 
the  intrepid  and  the  unfortunate. 

Governor  Champlain  believed,  and  many  another  New 
World  .Frenchman  believed  with  him,  that  the  all-water  route 
to  China  lay  beyond  Bowating  to  the  westward  or  southwest- 
ward.     We  find  this  stated  positively  in  his  writings: 

"The  voyageurs  and  French  explorers  have  taken  a  vow 
never  to  cease  their  efforts  until  they  have  found  either  a 
western  or  a  northern  sea,  opening  the  route  to  China,  which 
so  many  have  thus  far  sought  in  vain.** 

Sought  Route  to  China 

It  is  possible  that  this  idea  had  already  formed  in  the  mind 
of  Champlain  when  he  sent  Etienne  Brule  to  Lake  Huron  in 

1617.  Even  at  that  time  the  rapids  in  the  St.  Lawrence  near 
Hochelaga  (the  site  of  Montreal)  were  known  as  La  Chine, 
or  the  rapids  on  the  way  to  China.  So  when  Jean  Nicolet 
came  to  visit  us  at  Bowating  in  1  634,  he  came  as  a  seeker  of 
the  route  to  China. 

We  do  not  know  that  Nicolet  had  such  intimate  knowledge 
of  the  Huron  and  kindred  tongues  as  had  Brule.  We  find  him 
living  with   the  Algonquins  on  the  Isle  des  Allumettes  about 

1618,  and  it  was  only  after  1625  that  he  is  found  with  the 
Nipissing  Hurons.  The  languages  of  these  tribes  were  unlike 
in  many  respects. 

Nicolet' s  instructions  from  Champlain  were  to  journey  west- 
ward in  an  endeavor  to  learn  ot  those  "distant  western  people 
who  had  neither  hair  nor  beards,  and  who  journeyed  in  great 
canoes."  They  were  said  to  come  from  beyond  the  "Great 
Water'*  to  trade  with  the  Indians  of  the  lakes.  Nicolet  left 
Trois  Rivieres  in  July,  1 634,  with  Father  Brebeuf  and  other 
priests  and  a  large  number  of  Indians,  who  were  returning  home 
after  their  annual  barter  of  furs  at  Quebec.  Most  of  these  he 
left  in  the  vicinity  of  Mer  Douce,  and  with  seven  Indians  only 
he  proceeded  on  his  history-making  way. 


Champlain  Didn't  Come. 

He  had  been  ordered  by  Champlain  not  to  go  farther  north 
in  his  quest  than  the  Saut  de  Gaston  or  Bowating.  On  Cham- 
plain's  map  dated  1  632,  there  is  a  notation  that  he  had  gathered 
information  from  which  the  map  was  drawn,  over  the  period 
from  1603  to  1629.       But  Mr.  Suite  shows  that  Champlain  was 

43 


using  the  results  of  explorations  which  only  Bmle  and  Grenolle 
could  have  furnished.  Furthermore,  he  has  placed  Lakes  Mich- 
igan and  Superior,  the  latter  with  its  island  of  copper  (Isle 
Koyale)  in  contraposition,  and  this  is  proof  to  Mr.  Suite  at  least 
that  Champlain  had  never  visited  these  lakes  himself,  but  had 
made  a  natural  mistake  in  setting  down  their  locations. 

The  inverted  Lake  Michigan  or  Green  Bay  (des  Puants)  is 
placed  above  Bowating  on  Champlain's  map,  and  its  outlet  is 
marked  by  rocks  and  a  fall.  The  term  'Sault"  is  inserted 
there,  also  a  figure  referring  to  the  map  index.  The  index  for 
this  figure  reads  as  follows,  the  reference  evidently  being  taken, 
with  certain  omissions,  from  the  writings  of  Sagard: 

"Saut  de  Gaston,  nearly  two  leagues  wide,  which  discharges 
into  Mer  Douce,  coming  from  another  very  large  lake,  which 
with  the  Mer  Douce  are  30  days  journey  by  canoe  according 
to  the  reports  of  the  savage*" 

The  part  omitted  reads: 

"And  according  to  Brule,  four  hundred  leagues  in  length." 

The  conclusion  is  inevitable  that  the  omission  was  deliber- 
ate, probably  the  result  of  the  petty  rancor  of  Champlain.  We 
must  further  conclude  that  the  ground  covered  by  Nicolet  in 
1634  had  been  traversed  to  some  extent  at  least  by  a  white 
man  before  him.  That  man,  it  is  reasonably  certain,  was 
Ltienne  Brule. 

Still  Hunting  China. 

The  Saut  de  Gaston,  named  by  Brule  in  honor  of  the  brother 
of  the  King  of  France,  was  to  mark  the  northern  limit  of 
Nicolet's  explorations.  This  indicates  two  things:  First,  that 
Champlain  was  satisfied  with  his  knowledge  of  Lake  Superior, 
furnished  by  Brule;  and  second,  that  the  route  to  China  was 
supposed  to  stretch  in  a  southwesterly  direction  from  Bowating. 
When  Nicolet  started  on  his  journey  Chinaward,  Brule  had  been 
dead  two  years. 

Nicolet,  then,  may  be  considered  the  ambassador  of  New 
France  to  the  Chinese  Empire,  contingent,  of  course,  on  his  find- 
ing it.  He  was  to  visit  specifically  the  Indians  of  Bay  des 
Puants  and  to  obtain  all  possible  information  of  the  beardless 
people  who  could  be  none  other  than  Chinese  or  Japanese.  This 
was  a  natural  enough  conclusion  in  the  little  light  there  was  then 
on  the  land  to  the  west. 

We  do  not  know  that  Nicolet  tarried  long  at  Bowating.  The 
very  casualness  of  his  visit  seems  to  indicate  his  knowledge  of 
some  other  white  man's  preceding  him.  He  found  an  interest- 
ing and  populous  village  of  Saulteur  Chippewas  at  the  rapids, 
and  he  might  have  lingered  there  had  not  his  instructions  been 
imperative.  He  had  taken  the  usual  Ottawa  River  route  from 
the  St.  Lawrence;  coming  down  through  Lake  Nipissing,  skirting 

44 


the  north  shore  of  Georgian  Bay,  and  paddling  up  through  the 
Devil's  Gap  to  Bowating. 

He  now  proceeded  down  Gitchi  Gumi  Sippi,  turned  west- 
ward into  the  Michilimackinac  Straits  past  the  island  of  that 
name,  and  arrived  at  the  head  of  Green  Bay  where  the  city  so 
called  now  stands.  The  site  at  that  time  was  occupied  by  a 
village  of  the  Winnebagoes.  Upon  approaching  the  town  he 
sent  a  messenger  ahead  to  anounce  his  coming.  Before  land- 
ing he  attired  himself  in  a  flaming  robe  of  Chinese  silk,  adorned 
with  embroidered  birds  and  flowers.  Then  he  sallied  ashore, 
carrying  a  pistol  in  each  hand. 

Indians  All  Flee. 

Imagine  if  you  can  the  stunning  effect  produced  upon  the 
Indians  by  this  pale  apparition,  clad  in  a  fiery  rainbow  of  a 
gown,  with  Jovian  thunder  pealing  from  his  fists!  If  you  had 
been  there  no  doubt  you  would  have  taken  to  the  woods  just 
a»  they  did.  In  a  twinkling  the  little  town  became  a  solitude, 
save  for  one  or  two  old  men  palsied  with  age  and  fear.  When 
it  was  seen  from  vantage  ground  in  the  timber  that  these 
innocents  were  still  alive  and  unharmed,  the  rest  took  courage 
and  returned,  at  first  with  trembling  but  soon  with  confidence. 
Nicolet  convinced  them  of  his  peaceful  intentions  and  they 
hurried  to  make  a  great  feast  for  him.  He  sojourned  with  his 
new  friends  a  few  days,  canoed  up  the  Fox  river  and  portaged 
over  to  the  Wisconsin,  descending  thereon  to  a  point  within 
three  days'  journey  of  the  Mississippi.  Being  warned  of  hostile 
tribes  beyond,  he  ventured  no  farther.  But  he  went  back  to 
New  France  firm  in  the  belief  that  the  open  sea  lay  just  beyond. 
For  he  had  misinterpreted  the  Indian  term  for  the  Mississippi — 
"Father  of  Waters" — thinking  it  meant  the  great  ocean  which 
he  sought. 

Our  third  white  visitor — conceding  Brule  and  Grenolle — 
met  death  by  drowning  in  the  St.  Lawrence  in  1642.  In  the 
same  year  died  Samuel  de  Champlain,  governor  of  New  France, 
the  man  who  sent  us  these  emissaries.  He  was  a  truly  great 
character. 

The  next  white  men  to  ascend  the  lovely  Old  Channel  of 
Mcr  Douce  were  Jesuits,  and  they  came  by  special  invitation  of 
the  Indians  here.  Members  of  the  order,  welcomed  by  the  popu- 
lous Huron  villages  around  Georgian  Bay  and  Lake  Simcoe, 
had  established  in  1849  on  the  River  Wye  the  Mission  of  St. 
Mary's.      It  was  a  convenient  and  fairly  central  location. 

War  Club  Laid  Aside. 

The  occasion  of  the  Jesuits'  first  coming  to  the  rapids  was 
a  Huron  decennial  Feast  of  the  Dead  held  in  the  vicinity  of  St. 

45 


Mary's.  This  was  a  curious  ceremony  practiced  by  the  Chip- 
pewas  and  other  northern  tribes  as  well. 

At  the  time  of  these  grand  burial  feasts  the  war  club  was 
laid  aside.  All  were  welcome  to  pay  the  last  marks  o'  respect, 
and  to  make  sure  by  this  ceremony  the  final  entry  of  the  souls 
of  the  departed  into  eternal  happiness.  For  it  wa3  the  belief 
of  these  Indians  that  a  second  soul  resided  in  the  dead  body, 
not  to  be  released  until  the  due  performing  of  the  last  sacred 
rites  at  the  great  feast. 

At  the  time  appointed  the  accumulated  corpses  of  years 
were  lowered  from  their  scaffolds  and  raised  from  their  graves, 
while  the  trees  gave  up  their  ghastly  winter's  fruit.  The  cov- 
erings were  removed  and  the  bodies  claimed  by  relatives,  who 
proceeded  to  scrape  as  far  as  possible  the  flesh  from  the  bones. 
These,  having  been  wept  over  with  many  lamentations,  were 
tenderly  wrapped  in  skins  and  furs  and  brought  sometimes 
great  distances  to  the  feasting  place.  Meanwhile  great  burial 
pits  had  been  prepared  and  lined  with  beaver  and  other  skins. 

Sacrifices  la  the  Dead 

At  the  funeral  dinner  famed  orators  of  the  tribes  recounted 
the  virtues  of  the  deceased  and  bewailed  their  loss  in  rounded 
periods.  Many  of  the  hearers  gave  themselves  over  to  ex- 
travagant demonstrations  of  grief.  When  the  bones  were  de- 
posited at  the  edge  of  the  pits  other  panegyrics  were  delivered. 
Belongings  of  the  greatest  possible  value  were  deposited  in 
the  huge  graves  as  sacrifices  to  the  dead,  and  the  more  costly 
the  offerings  the  greater  was  deemed  the  piety  of  the  bereaved 
relatives.  Then  were  the  bodies  and  the  disjointed  bones 
placed  in  their  last  sepulchre,  and  arranged  with  poles  as  evenly 
as  possible  and  carefully  covered  with  earth  and  stones.  Thus 
did  our  northern  tribes  insure  to  their  dead  a  safe  abode  in 
the  Country  of  Souls.  The  ceremonies  ended  with  another 
great  feast,  which  was  more  joyful  than  the  first,  and  where 
singing  and  dancing  took  the  place  of  funeral  orations. 

Chippewa  tradition  points  to  the  shore  of  Tahquamenon 
River,  and  Skull  Cave  on  Mackinac  Island,  as  ancient  locations 
of  the  Feasts  of  the  Dead. 

Some  of  the  Huron  pits  have  been  found  to  contain  more 
than  a  thousand  bodies.  Weapons  of  different  kinds,  stone  or 
clay  pipes,  copper  ornaments,  beads  and  other  trinkets  are 
found  in  great  numbers.  A  few  of  the  Georgian  Bay  pits  con- 
tain articles  of  aboriginal  Mexican  make,  proving  ancient  traf- 
fic relations  over  a  vast  territory. 

Objects  of  European  workmanship  are  found  in  nearly  all 
these  communal  graves.  From  this  ethnologists  infer  that  the 
Feasts  of  the  Dead  did  not  greatly  antedate  the  coming  of  the 
whites. 

46 


Jesuits  First  Meet  Chip pe was 

The  Jesuits  of  St.  Mary's  Mission  first  made  acquaintance 
with  the  Saulteur  Chippewas  at  one  of  their  feasts.  The  fol- 
lowing is  from  the  Jesuit  Relations  for  1641,  wherein  the 
missionary  priests  set  down  a  careful  record  of  their  experiences 
for  their  superiors: 

"The  inhabitants  of  the  Sault,  who  came  to  this  feast  fron. 
a  distance  of  a  hundred  or  a  hundred  and  twenty  leagues, 
were  actors  in  this  ballet,  in  which  the  women  appeared  and 
danced  the  third  part  of  the  ball   .    .    . " 

"The  Pauoitigoneinchas  invited  us  to  go  and  see  them  in 
their  own  country.  They  are  a  nation  of  the  Algonquin  lan- 
guage, distant  from  the  Hurons  a  hundred  or  a  hundred  and 
twenty  leagues  to  the  west  whom  we  call  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Sault.  We  promised  to  pay  them  a  visit  and  see  how  they 
might  be  disposed,  in  order  to  labor  for  their  conversion; 
especially  as  we  learned  that  a  more  remote  nation  whom  they 
called  the  Ponteatami  had  abandoned  their  own  country  and 
taken  refuge  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  Sault,  in  order  to  re- 
move from  some  other  hostile  nation  who  persecuted  them 
with  endless  wars.  We  selected  Father  Charles  Raymbault  to 
undertake  this  journey;  and  as  at  the  same  time  some  Hurons 
were  to  be  of  the  party,  Father  Isaac  Jogues  was  chosen,  that 
he  might  deal  with  them.'* 

The  two  priests  left  St.  Mary's  for  Bowating  in  September 
of  the  same  year,  and  reached  their  destination  after  seventeen 
days*  travel.  They  received  a  friendly  welcome  in  the  village 
here  of  about  two  thousand  Indians,  and  secured  much  infor- 
mation about  the  neighboring  tribes.  It  is  likely  the  local  pop- 
ulation had  been  swelled  by  a  temporary  influx  of  Potawa- 
tomies,  driven  here  by  their  old-time  enemies  the  Iroquois. 

Invited  to  Stay  Here 

Jogues  and  Raymbault  met  the  Chippewa  Chiefs  in  council 
here,  and  an  invitation  was  extended  to  the  Fathers  to  take  up 
their  abode  in  Bowating.  They  must  have  remained  but  two 
or  three  weeks,  however,  as  they  left  the  Chippewa  capital 
and  returned  to  St.  Mary's  the  same  autumn.  They  are  said 
to  have  planted  a  cross  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  the  first  to 
have  been  raised  in  the  million  or  more  square  miles  compris- 
ing the  Northwest.  Father  Raymbault  was  weak  and  ill,  and 
he  died  that  winter  at  Quebec. 

Three  hundred  and  twenty  Jesuits  in  all  visited  New  France 
under  the  French  regime,  and  many  of  them  lived  long  years 
and  died  there.  They  labored  among  the  Iroquois  and 
the  Algonquins,  the  Hurons  and  the  Chippewas,  over  country 
stretching  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  to  Chequamagon  on  Lake 
Superior.      Most  of  them  were  educated,  cultured  and  refined 

47 


men,  some  were  descendents  of  noble  families,  and  the  con- 
trast between  their  homes  in  France  and  the  savage  haunts  of 
the  north  must  have  been  great  indeed.  For  instance,  Father 
Lejeune  tells  us  in  his  Relation  of  a  winter  spent  with  a  hunt- 
ing band  of  Algonquins.  He  roamed  the  snowy  forests  with 
them,  sharing  their  hunger  and  cold  and  unsanitary  conditions. 
Often  they  were  on  starvation's  verge,  and  again  he  was  revolt- 
ed by  their  gorging  when  game  was  plentiful.  "I  told  them," 
he  says,  "that  if  dogs  and  swine  could  talk  they  would  use  just 
such  language." 

Jogues  Stands  Out  Pre-eminently 

Of  all  this  band  of  Christian  men,  Isaac  Jogues,  the  first 
Jesuit  missionary  to  visit  our  locality,  stands  pre-eminent  in 
suffering,  fortitude  and  frightful  martyrdom.  When  he  was 
returning  to  the  Huron  country  from  Quebec  with  two  other 
Frenchmen,  Goupil  and  Couture,  and  some  Hurons,  they  were 
captured  by  a  war  party  of  the  Iroquois.  Coutre  had  killed 
one  of  them,  and  in  the  end  they  gave  the  three  white  men  a 
ferocious  beating  and  chewed  off  their  finger-nails.  After  this 
they  were  clubbed  almost  to  death. 

On  Lake  Champlain  they  met  another  party  of  Iroquois 
and  were  compelled  to  run  the  gauntlet  between  lines  of  In- 
dians armed  with  clubs  and  thorny  sticks.  When  the  French- 
men fell,  drenched  with  their  own  blood,  they  were  recalled  to 
life  by  firebrands  applied  to  their  bodies.  Couture  showed 
such  physical  stamina  and  bull-dog  courage  that  his  admiring 
enemies  adopted  him  into  their  tribe,  and  he  was  safe  from 
torture  thereafter.  But  Jogues  and  Goupil  were  dragged  from 
town  to  town  by  the  savages,  and  constantly  exposed  to  the 
utmost  torments  that  could  be  inflicted  without  killing  them. 
In  the  intervals  of  his  sufferings  Jogues  managed  to  baptize 
some  Huron  prisoners  with  rain-drops  gathered  from  an  ear 
of  corn. 

Still  Preached  Gospel 

Soon  Goupil  was  killed,  but  as  Jogues  showed  no  disposi- 
tion to  escape  he  was  allowed  a  little  liberty.  This  he  spent  in 
baptizing  infants  and  prisoners  wherever  possible,  and  in 
preaching  the  Gospel  to  anyone  who  would  listen 

Having  accompanied  a  fishing  party  of  Iroquois  to  the 
Hudson  River,  he  was  seen  by  the  Dutch  at  Fort  Orange 
(Albany),  and  they  aided  his  escape  to  Manhattan.  There 
the  Dutch  Governor  arranged  for  his  passage  to  Europe.  He 
arrived  safely  in  Paris  and  became  the  hero  of  the  day,  for 
the  account  of  his  adventures  made  a  great  sensation.  He 
was  received  at  court  and  narrated  his  sufferings  to  the  queen, 
who  kissed  his  wounded  hands. 

48 


The  following  spring  found  him  in  Montreal,  preparing  to 
go  as  a  peace  envoy  to  the  Iroquois  country.  "I  shall  go,  but 
I  shall  never  return,"  he  wrote.  On  his  way  he  called  at  Fort 
Orange,  where  the  kindly  Dutchmen  marvelled  greatly  at  his 
second  venture  among  his  enemies.  A  few  days  later  he  was 
unmercifully  clubbed  by  some  Mohawk  Indians,  one  of  whom 
drove  a  tomahawk  into  his  brain.  Thus  died  Jogues,  valiant 
soldier  of  the  cross  and  first  missionary  to  penetrate  the  wilder- 
ness to  Bowating. 

J-ove  Your  Enemies 

In  the  Relation  for  1647,  Lalemant  says  of  Jogues:  "He 
felt  no  aversion  to  his  tormentors,  even  in  the  midst  of  his 
sufferings.  As  a  mother  regards  with  pity  her  stricken  child, 
sc  he  looked  with  an  eye  of  compassion  upon  his  enemies." 

The  Jesuits  of  New  France  carried  the  following  instruc- 
tions, which  throw  an  interesting  light  upon  the  lives  of  mis- 
sionaries and  Indians  alke: 

"You  should  love  like  brothers  the  Indians  with  whom  you 
are  to  spend  the  rest  of  your  life.  Never  make  them  wait  for 
you  in  embarking.  Take  a  flint  and  steel  to  light  their  pipes 
and  kindle  their  fires  at  night,  for  these  little  services  win  their 
hearts.  Try  to  eat  their  sagamite  as  they  cook  it,  bad  and 
dirty  as  it  is.  Fasten  up  the  skirts  of  your  cassock,  that  you 
may  not  carry  water  or  sand  into  the  canoe.  Wear  no 
shoes  or  stockings  in  the  canoes,  but  you  may  put 
them  on  in  crossing  the  portages.  Do  not  make  yourself 
troublesome,  even  to  a  single  Indian.  Do  not  ask  too  many 
questions.  Bear  their  faults  in  silence  and  always  be  cheerful. 
Buy  fish  for  them  from  the  tribes  you  will  pass;  and  for  this 
purpose  take  with  you  some  awls,  beads,  knives  and  f.'jh-hooks. 
Be  not  ceremonious  with  the  Indians;  take  at  once  what  they 
offer  you,  for  ceremony  offends  them.  Be  very  careful,  when 
in  a  canoe,  that  the  brim  of  your  hat  does  not  annoy  them. 
Perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  wear  your  night-cap-  There  is 
no  such  thing  as  impropriety  among  Indians.  Remember  that 
it  is  Christ  and  His  cross  that  you  are  seeking  and  if  you  aim 
at  anything  else,  you  will  get  nothing  but  affliction  for  body 
and  mind." 

Iroquois  Attack  the  French 

Shortly  after  the  death  of  Jogues  the  Iroquois  attacked  the 
French  and  their  Algonquin  and  Huron  allies  with  red  hot  fury. 
Champlain  had  made  a  foray  into  the  Iroquois  territory  in 
1615,  and  the  Five  Nations,  biding  their  time,  had  never  for- 
gotten it.  Furthermore,  the  Dutch  and  the  English  to  the  east 
of  the  Iroquois  lands  wanted  furs  and  more  furs.  The  forests 
of  what  is  now  central  New  York,  and  which  were  then  the 
home  of  the  Five  Nations,  housed  no  such  fur-bearing  animals 

49 


either  in  quantity  or  quality  as  were  to  be  found  across  the 
St.  Lawrence  to  the  north  and  west.  Indian  wants  and  needs 
increased  rapidly  with  the  coming  of  the  white  man  and  his 
European  commodities.  The  red  man  desired  powder  and 
guns,  hatchets,  cloth,  beads,  traps,  cooking  utensils  and  whisky; 
the  white  brother  was  keen  for  furs.  With  a  tribal  organization 
not  surpassed  even  under  Pontiac  a  century  later,  the  Iroquois 
opened  hostilities  under  the  double  inspiration  of  plunder  and 
revenge. 

Nothing  could  have  exceeded  their  ferocity.  They  swept 
down  the  St.  Lawrence  valley  and  devoted  the  Huron  villages 
to  a  fearful  slaughter.  Nor  did  they  spare  the  French,  whose 
island  of  Montreal  was  devastated  by  two  bloody  incursions. 
The  Hurons  were  scattered  to  the  winds.  As  a  nation  they 
ceased  to  exist.  The  work  of  the  Jesuits  among  them,  prose- 
cuted with  so  much  toil  and  care,  sank  in  blood  before  the 
hatchets  of  the  Iroquois,  and  Father  Brebeuf  and  Lalemant 
and  others  were  put  to  death  with  horrible  barbarities. 

The  Iroquois  Confederacy  reached  the  zenith  of  its  power 
about  1653.  In  that  year  we  find  its  victorious  and  omni- 
present butchers  swarming  afar  upon  the  upper  Great  Lakes 
in  pursuit  of  the  flying  Ottawas  and  Hurons.  In  view  of  the 
likelihood  that  at  no  time  the  number  of  their  fighting  men 
exceeded  2,600,  the  destruction  they  created  seems  almost 
inconceivable.  It  surely  was  a  marvelously  small  number  to 
make  such  great  havoc  among  so  many  tribes,  and  seriously  to 
imperil  the  existence  of  the  French, 


Barbaraties  Beyond  Belief 

Through  the  Jesuit  Relations  some  of  th  j  fearful  details 
of  that  war  have  come  down  to  us  that  are  well-nigh  beyond 
belief.  The  Northern  Hurons  met  with  an  occasional  success 
in  their  battles  with  the  enemy,  and  they  did  not  fail  to  extracl 
a  savage  pleasure  from  the  agonies  of  their  captives.  Once  the> 
took  a  hundred  Iroquois  prisoners,  including  the  Chief  Ononk- 
waya,  and  these  were  distributed  among  the  Huron  villages  foi 
torture  and  feasting.  But  in  the  hour  of  his  death  the  Iroquois 
leader  baffled  his  enemies,  who  considered  it  an  augury  oi 
disaster  if  no  cry  of  pain  could  be  forced  from  their  victims. 

When  he  had  been  baptized  by  the  Jesuits,  who  tried  un 
availingly  to  save  his  life,  he  was  bound  to  a  stake  upon  a  lo^ 
scaffold  and  a  scorching  fire  was  built  beneath  him.  This  wai 
just  near  enough  to  roast  him  by  slow  degrees,  permitting  th( 
delighted  Hurons  to  witness  his  agony  for  hours.  But  the} 
could  not  draw  as  much  as  a  single  moan  from  him,  for  he  hac 
wrought  himself  into  an  ecstasy  of  fury  that  rose  superior  t< 
pain.  And  when  his  executioners,  thinking  him  nearly  dead 
tore  his  reeking  scalp  from  his  head,  he  burst  his  bonds  with  i 


DO 


superhuman  effort,  seized  a  flaming  brand  from  the  fire  below 
and  drove  them  from  the  scaffold. 


How  a  True  Chief  Dies 

He  held  them  at  bay  for  a  moment  while  stones,  clubs 
and  live  coals  rained  upon  him  from  the  crowd.  Presently  a 
false  step  threw  him  to  the  ground,  where  his  captors  picked 
him  up  and  threw  him  full  into  the  fire.  Covered  with  blood, 
cinders  and  ashes,  he  leaped  out  and  upon  them,  brandishing 
a  blazing  brand  in  each  hand.  Cowed  for  an  instant  they  fell 
back  before  so  terrible  a  sight,  and  he  rushed  toward  the  town 
is  if  to  set  it  on  fire.  In  a  trice  a  warrior  tripped  him  with  a 
sole,  bringing  him  headlong  to  the  earth,  where  they  fell  upon 
^im,  cut  off  his  hands  and  his  feet  and  again  tossed  him  into 
:he  fire.  Again  he  rolled  himself  out,  crawling  forward  on  his 
snees  and  the  stumps  of  his  arms,  glaring  upon  his  enemies 
with  such  unutterable  ferocity  that  they  recoiled  once  more. 
rh,en,  seeing  that  he  was  helpless,  they  knocked  him  over  and 
:ut  off  his  head,  and  hastened  to  feast  upon  the  body  of  so 
sourageous  an  adversary.  One  of  his  severed  hands  was  thrown 
:o  the  Jesuits,  who  buried  it  in  their  chapel. 

Such  was  an  incident  of  an  Iroquois  defeat.  Their  never- 
mding  wars  might  have  entirely  wiped  out  the  comparatively 
imall  numbers  of  their  warriors,  even  though  they  were  vic- 
arious in  every  battle,  had  they  not  resorted  to  an  expedient 
nentioned  in  the  Relations.  They  made  a  practice  of  adopting 
nany  of  their  prisoners,  especially  the  youths.  These  nearly 
ilways  became  loyal  members  of  the  Five  Nations,  often  out- 
loing  the  native  Iroquois  in  committing  atrocities  upon  their 
ormer  relatives  and  tribesmen. 


An  Invasion  That  Failed 

The  remnants  of  the  Hurons  and  the  Tobacco  Nations  hav- 
ng  fled  northward,  the  triumphant  Iroquois  to  the  number 
)f  about  one  thousand  embarked  in  war  canoes  and  proceeded 
hrough  the  Michilimackinac  Straits  to  attack  the  survivors  and 
heir  Winnebago  allies  at  Green  Bay.  The  latter  successfully 
lefended  their  fort,  and  some  of  the  retreating  Iroquois  were 
lost  in  a  great  storm  at  the  entrance  to  the  Bay,  which  is  known 
*nce  as  "Death's  Door." 

Here  the  invaders  divided,  and  half  their  number  ascended 
Mitchi  Gumi  Sippi  or  St.  Mary's  River  to  Bowating,  driving  our 
esident  Chippewas  from  the  village  at  the  rapids  and  taking 
fiany  prisoners.  Portaging  around  the  rapids  they  embarked 
n  the  bay  above,  landing  at  Point  Iroquois  to  torture  and  eat 
ledr  victims  after  their  accustomed  fashion;  while  the  Chip- 
iewa  Chief  Nin  gau  be  on  rallied  his  somewhat  demoralized 

51 


forces  under  the  shadow  of  Gros  Cap's  lofty  headline  across  the 
bay. 

The  night  was  foggy,  and  favorable  for  surprise  attack. 
The  Chippewas  crossed  the  bay  undiscovered,  and  fell  upon 
their  gorged  and  sleeping  enemies  at  the  hour  of  dawn.  There 
was  a  great  slaughter  and  the  sandy  beach  was  soaked  with 
Iroquois  blood.  The  Chippewas  placed  the  enemy  skulls  in  a 
line  along  the  shore,  said  to  have  been  nearly  a  mile  in  length. 
The  headless  bodies  were  left  unburied  on  the  beach,  prey 
to  the  wild  beasts  and  the  birds,  and  many  years  after  bones 
were  still  to  be  found  there.  Tradition  says  that  but  on*  Chip- 
pewa warrior  was  killed,  and  that  one  Iroquois  wa3  sent  back 
home  alive,  minus  nose  and  ears,  with  the  jeering  admonition 
to  his  nation  to  send  out  men  and  not  women  the  next  time  it 
desired  to  fight  the  Chippewas. 

Never  Molested  Again 

Thus  did  our  Saulteur  Chippewas  hold  their  lands  against 
the  farthest  north  assault  of  their  renowned  antagonists,  and 
they  never  were  molested  by  the  Five  Nations  afterwards.  To 
this  day  the  whites  call  the  place  of  the  famous  fight  "Point 
Iroquois,"  and  the  Chippewas  know  it  as  "Nad  o  way  an  ing, 
or  the  Place  of  the   (Iroquois)  Snakes." 

Occasionally  there  is  an  echo  of  that  epochal  occasion  on 
Vhe  streets  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  Indians  from  the  east  some-' 
times  visit  us,  and  often  as  not  they  are  accosted  by  a  local 
Indian:  , 

"How  do,  Iroquois?" 

"Huh,  how  do  you  know  we're  Iroquois?" 

*'Oh,  we  know  the  Iroquois  well.  There  are  hundreds  of 
them  here." 

"What,  Iroquois  here?" 

"Yes,  plenty.     They  came  here  to  see  us  nearly  three  hun- 1 
dred  years  ago  and  they  are  here  yet.     They  were  looking  for | 
trouble,   and  we  gave  them   such  fine  entertainment  that  they 
never  went  back." 

This,   you  understand,   helps  ta   keep   those  pesky  eastern, 
Indians  where  they  belong. 

The  other  half  of  the  invading  Iroquois  forces  turned  south- 
ward down  the  western  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  to  the  land  of 
the  Illini.      Read   what   happened   there,    in   thd  words  of   the, 
ancient   chronicler: 

"The  Iroquese  embsrqu'd  upon  the  Mississippi  and  were 
discover'd  by  another  Fleet  that  was  sailing  down  the  other 
side  of  the  same  river.  The  Iroquese  cross'd  over  immediately 
to  that  island  which  is  since  call'd  Aux  Recontres.  The  Na- 
douessis,  i.  e.,  the  other  little  Fleet,  being  suspicious  of  some 
ill  design,  without  knowing  what  people  they  were    (for  the; 

52 


had  no  knowledge  of  the  Iroquese  but  by  Hear-say)  ;  upon  this 
Suspicion,  I  say,  they  tug'd  hard  to  come  up  with  'em. 

"The  two  armies  posted  themselves  upon  the  Point  of  the 
island,  where  the  two  Crosses  are  put  down  on  the  Map;  and 
as  soon  as  the  Nadouessis  came  in  sight,  the  Iroquese  cry'd 
out  in  the  lllinese  Language,  Who  are  ye?  To  which  the  Na- 
douessis answer' d,  Somebody;  And  putting  the  like  Question 
to  the  Iroquese,  receiv'd  the  same  Answer. 

Iroquois  Are  Routed 

'Then  the  Iroquese  put  this  Question  to  'em,  Where  are 
you  going??  To  Hunt  Beeves,  reply'd  the  Nadouessis.  But 
pray,  says  the  Nadouessis,  what's  your  Business?  To  hunt 
men,  reply'd  the  Iroquese.  Tis  well,  says  the  Nadouessis,  we 
are  Men,  and  so  you  need  go  no  farther.  Upon  this  Challenge 
the  two  Parties  disembarqu  d,  and  the  Leader  of  the  Nadouessis 
cut  his  Canows  to  pieces;  and  after  representing  to  his  Warriors 
that  they  behov'd  either  to  conquer  or  die,  march'd  up  to  the 
Iroquese  who  receiv'd  'em  at  first  Onset  with  a  Cloud  of  Arrows; 
But  the  Nadouessis  having  stood  their  first  Discharge,  which 
killed  'em  eighty  men,  fell  in  upon  'em  with  their  Clubs  in  their 
Hands,  before  the  others  could  charge  again;  and  so  routed  'em 
entirely. 

'This  Engagement  lasted  for  two  hours,  and  was  so  hot, 
that  two  hundred  and  sixty  Iroquese  fell  upon  the  Spot,  and 
the  rest  were  all  taken  Prisoners.  Some  of  the  Iroquese  indeed 
attempted  to  make  their  Escape  after  the  Action  was  over;  but 
the  victorious  General  sent  ten  or  twelve  of  his  Men  to  pursue 
'em  in  one  of  the  Canows  that  he  had  taken;  and  accordingly 
they  were  all  overtaken  and  drown'd. 

"The  Nadouessis  having  obtain'd  this  Victory,  cut  off  the 
Noses  and  Ears  of  two  of  the  cleverest  Prisoners;  and  supplying 
'em  with  Fusees,  Powder  and  Ball,  gave  'em  the  liberty  of  re- 
turning to  their  own  Country,  in  order  to  give  their  Country- 
men to  understand,  that  they  ought  not  to  employ  Women  to 
hunt  after  Men  any  longer." 

There  is  an  ancient  reference  to  a  band  of  Iroquois  who 
encamped  about  this  time  or  a  little  later  on  the  shore  of 
Moran  Bay  in  the  Straits  of  Mackinac.  There  they  stayed  for 
some  time  under  a  temporary  truce,  but  having  incurred  the 
enmity  of  the  Chippewa  Chief  Sau  ge  mau,  they  took  refuge 
after  a  fight  in  Skull  Cave  on  Mackinac  Island.  The  cave  was 
unknown  at  that  time  to  Chippewas,  and  when  discovered  by 
them  many  years  later  it  is  said  to  have  been  much  larger  than 
it  is  at  present. 

Many  Died  in  the  Cave 

The  warriors  of  Sau  ge  mau  were  unable  to  find  the 
Iroquois  after  a  careful  search  of  the  island,  so  the  Chippewas 

53 


concluded  that  their  enemies  had  transformed  themselves  into 
spirits  and  flown  away.  The  supernatural  reputation  of  the 
island  helped  them  to  arrive  at  this  decision.  There  is  little 
doubt  that  the  Iroquois,  or  many  of  them,  died  in  the  cave. 
About  one  hundred  years  later,  when  Alexander  Henry  was 
hidden  by  his  Indian  brother  Wawatam  in  that  snug  retreat, 
he  found  it  full  of  dead  men's  bones,  concerning  which  the 
Indians  of  his  time  knew  nothing. 

And  so  it  came  about  that  the  Iroquois,  victorious  many 
times  in  eastern  fields,  suffered  defeat  and  the  loss  of  nearly 
half  their  fighting  men  at  the  hands  of  the  Chippewas,  the 
Winnebagoes  and  the  Illini  in  the  north  and  west. 

Meanwhile  the  northern  fur  shipments,  so  lusted  after  by 
the  Iroquois,  continued  to  find  their  way  to  Montreal,  Three 
Rivers  and  Quebec,  via  our  rapids  and  the  Ottawa  River  route. 
It  is  recorded  that  several  French  voyageurs  established  them- 
selves here  in  1  64 1 ,  but  there  is  no  record  that  they  built  or 
maintained  permanent  habitations.  It  is  possible  that  they 
spent  several  winters  in  the  vicinity,  but  it  is  quite  as  certain 
that  the  necessities  of  trading  would  take  them  to  the  St. 
Lawrence  during  the  open  season  of  navigation. 

It  is  certain  that  the  Sault  was  an  important  trading  post 
fihy  or  sixty  years  before  Detroit  was  thought  of  as  such.  LV 
usually  the  hunting  was  good  here,  and  fur-bearing  animals 
were  plentiful.  It  was  the  central  point  for  a  vast  amount  of 
territory.  The  northern  route  to  Montreal  was  much  shorter,: 
and  it  lay  farther  from  the  Iroquois,  while  the  water  trip  by  way 
of  Lake  Erie  involved  not  only  an  exhausting  portage  around; 
Niagara  Falls,  but  it  took  the  traders  into  enemy  country  for 
some  distance. 

Peter  Radisson's  Travels. 

Let  us  now  consider  briefly  the  travels  of  Peter  Radisson 
the  first  white  man  to  write  down  in  any  detail  a  description  of 
our  Sault  locality.  The  volume  in  which  the  narratives  of 
Radisson  appear  is  entitled  "Voyages  of  Peter  Esprit  Radisson, 
be.;ng  an  Account  of  his  Travels  and  Experiences  among  the 
North  American  Indians  from  1652  to  1694.  Transcribed  fiom 
the  original  manuscripts  in  the  Bodleian  Library  and  the  British 
Museum.     Published  by  the  Prince  Society,  Boston,   1tf85." 

Edmund  Slafter,  president  of  the  Prince  Society,  writes  ps 
follows  in  the  preface: 

*  The  narratives  contained  in  this  volume  were  apparently 
written  without  any  intention  of  publication,  and  are  plainly  au- 
thentic and  trustworthy.  They  have  remained  in  manuscript 
more  than  two  hundred  years,  and  in  the  meantime  have  escap- 
ed the  notice  of  scholars,  as  not  even  extracts  from  them  hav 
so  far  as  we  are  aware,  found  their  way  into  print. 

"The  author  was  a  native  of  France,  and  had  an  imperfe 

54 


knowledge  of  the  English  language.  The  journals,  with  the 
exception  of  the  last  in  the  volume,  are,  however,  written  in  that 
language,  and,  as  might  be  anticipated,  in  orthography,  in  the 
use  of  words,  and  in  the  structure  of  sentences,  conform  to  no 
known  standard  of  English  composition.  But  the  meaning  is  in  all 
cases  clearly  conveyed,  and,  in  justice  both  to  the  author  and 
the  reader,  they  have  been  printed  verbatim  et  literatim,  as  in 
the  original  manuscripts." 

A  Restless  Spirit. 

In  a  day  when  travel  was  difficult,  Radisson  was  a  tre- 
mendous traveller.  He  thought  no  more  of  coming  from 
France  to  the  Sault,  or  from  England  to  Hudson's  Bay,  or  from 
Turkey  to  the  West  Indies,  than  you  or  I  do  of  going  to  lunch. 
Never  was  there  so  restless  a  spirit  as  this  Radisson. 

Radisson  must  have  been  another  such  character  as  Brule, 
for  he  was  fifteen  years  old  when  he  came  from  France  to 
Three  Rivers  in  1651.  The  following  year  he  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  Iroquois  while  hunting,  his  companions  were 
killed,  and  he  was  saved  by  adoption  into  the  tribe.  On  a 
hunting  trip  with  some  new  brothers  of  the  Mohawks,  he  killed 
them  and  escaped.  He  was  soon  caught  and  brought  back 
for  the  torture,  but  his  foster-parents  saved  him.  Again  he 
made  his  escape  to  the  Dutch  at  Albany,  and  by  their  aid  he 
proceeded  through  New  Amsterdam  to  France.  He  returned 
to  Quebec  and  Three  Rivers  in  the  spring  of  1654,  and  greeted 
his  sisters  there  who  had  supposed  him  dead.  One  of  these 
sisters  had  married  Medard  de  Groseilliers,  and  this  brother-in- 
law  accompanied  him  on  his  journey  to  the  Sault. 

Before  coming  north  Radisson  and  his  brother-in-law 
sojourned  two  years  in  Wisconsin  and  are  considered  by  some 
.excellent  authorities  to  have  discovered  the  Mississippi  River, 
i They  returned  to  the  St.  Lawrence  with  three  hundred  and  fifty 
icanoe-loads  of  furs.  In  his  account  of  this  journey  Radisson 
says:  "We  desired  not  to  go  to  ye  north  till  we  had  made  a 
(discovery  in  ye  south,  being  desirous  to  know  what  they  did." 

They  turned  their  canoes  westward  again  in  1658,  in  search 

of  more  furs,  and  the  sea  that  separates  America  from  China. 

fThey  left  in  the  night,  and  against  the  consent  of  the  Governor, 

jivho  had  insisted  on  a  share  of  the  profits.       The  Indians  accom- 

ipanying  them  were   mostly   Saulteur  Chippewas   and    Ottawas 

who  had  piloted  them  on  the  previous  voyage. 

A  Terrestial  Paradise 

Coming  to  the  Sault,  Radisson  described  it  thus: 

"We  came  after  to  a  rapid  that  makes  ye  separation  be- 
ween  ye  lake  of  ye  Hurons  and  that  which  we  call  ye  Superior 
or  Upper  lake,  for  that  ye  wild  men  hold  it  to  be  ye  longer  and 

5J 


broader,  besides  a  great  many  islands,  which  make  it  appear  of 
bigger  extent.  This  rapid  was  formerly  ye  residence  of  those 
(Indians)  with  whom  we  were.  We  made  cottages  at  our 
advantage,  and  found  ye  truth  of  what  those  men  have  told  us, 
that  if  once  we  would  come  to  that  place  we  should  make  good 
cheer  of  ye  white  fish.  Ye  bear,  castors  (beaver),  and 
oriniack  (moose)  showed  themselves  often,  but  to  their  cost; 
indeed  it  was  to  us  like  a  terrestrial  paradise.  After  so  long 
fasting,  after  so  great  paines  that  we  had  taken,  finds  ourselves 
so  well  by  choosing  our  dyet,  and  resting  ourselves  when  we 
had  a  mind  to  it,  it  is  here  that  we  must  taste  with  pleasure  a 
sweete  bit.  But  ye  season  was  far  spent,  and  use  diligence 
and  leave  that  place  so  wished,  which  we  shall  bewail,  to  the 
cursed  Iroquois.  We  left  that  inn  without  reckoning  with  our 
host.  The  weather  was  agreeable  when  we  began  to  navigate 
upon  that  great  extent  of  water  (Lake  Superior),  finding  it  so 
calm  and  ye  air  so  clear." 

Radisson  speaks  of  cottages,  and  an  inn,  but  it  is  likely  that 
his  language  is  figurative.  He  does  not  seem  to  have  stayed 
with  us  long  enough  to  think  of  erecting  a  permanent  home.  He 
visited  a  place  where  there  was  a  small  river  with  pieces  of 
pure  copper  ore  on  its  banks  close  to  the  lake,  and  admired  in 
passing  the  beauties  of  the  Pictured  Rocks.  He  portaged  over 
the  Keweenaw  Peninsula,  and  went  on  to  the  country  of  the 
Crees,  visiting  James  Bay. 

Returning  to  Quebec  the  two  explorers  tried  to  interest 
merchants  there  in  trading  into  Hudson's  and  James  Bay  via 
the  Atlantic  Ocean.  Their  project  was  rejected,  there  and  in 
France.  But  the  British  ambassador  at  Paris  persuaded  them 
to  go  with  him  to  London,  where  they  readily  found  merchants 
who  outfitted  a  ship  on  which  Radisson  and  Grosilliers  sailed 
for  Hudson's  Bay.  This  voyage  resulted  in  the  organization 
of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  in  England  in  1670,  the  greatest 
fur  dealers  in  the  world  and  still  flourishing. 

The  achievements  of  Radisson  and  Groseilliers  are  probably 
without  a  parallel  in  history.  The  beginning  of  the  downfall 
of  the  French  in  Canada  really  dates  from  that  historic  fourth 
voyage  of  theirs  to  and  beyond  the  "terrestrial  paradise"  of  the 
Sault.  For  they  placed  the  English  firmly  in  position  on  the 
north  as  well  as  the  south  flank  of  the  French,  who  thus  in  time 
lost  the  greatest  asset  of  the  land  in  that  day,  which  was  the 
trade  in  furs.  At  the  close  of  the  narrative  Radisson  comments 
bitterly  on  his  treatment  by  the  Governor  of  New  France: 

Fined  by  the  Governor. 

"Ye  Governor,  seeing  us  come  back  with  a  considerable 
sum  for  our  own  particular,  and  seeing  that  his  time  was  ex- 
pired and  that  he  was  to  go  away,  made  use  of  that  excuse  t< 

56 


do  us  wrong  and  to  enrich  himself  with  ye  goods  we  had  so 
dearly  bought.  He  fined  us  four  thousand  pounds  to  make  a 
fort  at  Three  Rivers,  telling  us  for  all  manner  of  satisfaction 
that  he  would  give  us  leave  to  put  our  coat  of  arms  upon  it,  and 
moreover,  6,000  pounds  for  ye  country. 

But  ye  Bougre  did  really  grease  his  chops  with  it,  and  more- 
over, made  us  pay  a  custom  which  was  the  fourth  part  of  it. 
Was  he  not  a  tyrant  to  deal  so  with  us,  after  that  we  had  so 
hazarded  our  lives,  and  having  brought  in  less  than  two  years 
by  that  voyage,  as  ye  Factors  of  that  country  said,  between 
forty  and  fifty  thousand  pistoles?" 

It  certainly  was  shabby  treatment,  and  Radisson  will  not  be 
blamed  for  expecting  more  consideration.  But  we  Saulteurs 
shall  always  think  kindly  of  him  who  named  our  home  "so 
wished,  a  terrestrial  paradise." 

Father  Rene  Menard,  a  Superior  of  the  Jesuit  order,  accom- 
panied Radisson  and  Grosseilliers  on  this  voyage,  purposing  to 
establish  a  mission  to  the  western  Lake  Superior  Indians.  They 
left  him  on  the  south  shore  of  the  lake  at  a  point  nur  the  pres- 
ent site  of  L'Anse,  Michigan.  He  sojourned  there  several 
months  with  a  band  of  Ottawas,  enduring  much  abuse  and  ill- 
treatment. 

Never  Reached  Destination 

In  the  spring  of  1661  he  set  out  across  country  southwest- 
ward,  supposedly  alone,  for  the  country  of  the  Petuns,  across 
what  is  now  the  Wisconsin  state  line.  He  never  reached  his 
destination,  having  been  murdered  by  some  unfriendly  Indian 
cr  having  perished  from  accident  or  starvation  in  the  woods. 
The  Relations  for  1 662  mention  Father  Menard  as  having 
passed  Montreal  on  his  westward  journey,  and  express  a  fear 
that  he  had  met  met  with  accident. 

Father  Menard  was  succeeded  in  1  665  in  the  farther  Lake 
Superior  territory  by  Father  Claude  Allouez,  chief  of  the 
Ontanak  or  Ottawa  missions.  This  noted  priest  is  said  to 
have  preached  the  gospel  to  twenty  Indian  tribes,  and  hc.s  been 
called  the  founder  of  Christianity  in  the  West.  He  opened  his 
mission  at  Chequamegon  Bay  or  La  Pointe  du  Esprit,  a  place 
long  famous  in  the  annals  of  the  North.  Enroute  t^»  his  field 
he  visited  the  Sault,  and  he  re-christened  the  location  Saut  de 
Tracy  in  honor  of  Marquis  de  Tracy,  then  Governor  of  New 
Fiance. 

Called  it  Lake  Tracy 

He  also  named  the  great  body  of  water  to  the  northward 
Lake  Tracy,  and  the  lake  is  so  designated  on  some  of  the  maps 
of  the  period.  He  found  the  Chippewas  and  their  neighbors 
worshipping  the  lake  as  a  divinity  or  Manito,  both  on  account 
of  its  vast  size  and  the  plentiful  supply  of  fish  food  it  yielded 
them. 

57 


Father  Marquette  Comes 

After  laboring  four  years  in  the  La  Poine  quarter,  Father 
Allouez  gave  over  the  station  to  Jacques  Marquette,  now  the 
best  known  of  all  the  Jesuits  of  New  France,  and  founded  a 
mission  at  Green  Bay. 

Casting  about  for  a  center  in  the  great  north  country,  the 
Jesuits  looked  upon  the  Saut  de  Gaston  or  Saut  de  Tracy  and 
found  it  excellently  suited  to  their  needs. 

Already  French  voyageurs  and  fur  traders  were  coming, 
going  and  sojourning  here,  and  for  all  we  know  had  already 
established  more  or  less  permanent  log  cabins  and  fur  store- 
houses in  this  ideal  Indian  trading  point.  The  three  greatest 
lakes  radiated  from  it  like  pinions  from  a  hub.  It  was  the  great 
gathering  place  for  the  tribes,  who  came  hither  conveniently  by 
canoe  to  sit  in  council,  to  hunt  and  to  fish.  It  was  a  visiting 
place  for  travelers  to  all  points  of  the  compass,  and  it  was  the 
one  point  in  these  lines  which  all  must  pass.  And  it  was  fairly 
safe  from  Iroquois  molestation. 

Therefore  Father  Allouez,  as  Superior  of  the  Lake  Tracy 
Missions,  placed  Father  Louis  Nicholas  at  the  Sault  as  resident 
priest  in  1667,  by  order  of  Father  Le  Mercier,  the  Superior 
General  in  Quebec.  From  that  year  and  especially  after  the 
coming  of  Marquette  in  the  year  following,  our  records  of  this 
locality,  for  a  few  years  at  least,  are  much  more  concrete. 

Arrived  in  1668 

Born  in  France  in  1637,  Marquette  early  showed  religious 
inclinations  and  about  1654  was  admitted  to  the  Jesuit  no- 
vitiate. Twelve  years  later  he  came  to  the  Canadian  missions 
and  was  appointed  to  a  station  in  the  vicinity  of  Quebec.  He 
studied  the  Indian  dialects  under  the  veteran  Druillettes,  and  a 
priest  being  needed  at  the  Saut  de  Tracy,  he  was  sent  here  in 
the  spring  of   1  668. 

Here,  with  the  help  of  the  Jesuit  lay  brother  Bohesme, 
under  the  direction  of  Allouez,  and  probably  with  the  help  of 
Father  Nicholas,  he  constructed  on  the  south  side  of  the  river 
at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  a  rude  chapel  and  dwelling  house. 
This  was  the  first  permanent  Christian  place  of  worship  in  what 
is  now  the  State  of  Michigan.  Possibly  also  it  was  the  first 
white  man's  habitation,  but  we  cannot  be  sure  of  this,  for  French 
traders  certainly  had  been  buying  furs  here  for  some  years. 

Location  of  First  Church 

The  exact  location  of  this  chapel  is  unknown,  but  it  must 
have  been  near  the  foot  of  Bingham  avenue.  Father  Gagnieur, 
S.  J.,  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  a  careful  student  of  the  early  history 
of  this  locality,  thinks  it  may  have  been  raised  on  that  piece  of 
ground  where  Dr.  F.  J.  Moloney's  house  now  stands,  or  it  cer- 

58 


tainly  was  in  close  proximity  to  the  same.  In  a  paper  read  in 
June,  1923,  on  the  occasion  of  the  unveiling  of  the  tablet  com- 
memorating this  chapel,  Father  Gagnieur  gave  the  following 
reasons  for  this  opinion: 

( 1  )  The  details  in  the  Relations  regarding  the  St.  Lusson 
ceremony  of  1671  point  to  that  site  as  the  probable  place  of 
the  chapel.  The  St.  Lusson  procession  took  its  start  from  Mar- 
quette's little  church. 

(2)  The  early  Jesuits  planted  vegetables  in  a  small  clear- 
ing here  which  was  probably  part  of  the  large  clearing  known 
in  our  day  as  "The  Indian  Green."  It  was  a  favorite  gathering 
place  of  the  Indians,  who  played  there  the  game  of  ball  called 
"Pagaadowewin,"  or  baggatiway.  This  game  was  a  kind  of 
religious  rite  with  them;  and  it  is  likely  that  Marquette  would 
choose  the  spot  for  the  inculcation  of  the  new  faith  which  was 
to  supersede  the  old. 

(3)  Charlevoix's  map  of  1721  clearly  marks  the  church 
at  about  this  spot.  Another  map  of  1  789,  and  a  landscape  of 
1850  also  indicate  that  location. 

(4)  Government  maps  of  1850  show  that  Bingham 
Avenue  was  then  called  Church  Street.  As  there  were  no  other 
churches  in  the  vicinity,  and  as  several  churches  in  succession 
have  occupied  the  ground,  it  seems  likely  that  this  early  path- 
way was  so  named  because  of  the  first  church  and  its  successors 
at  its  foot. 

Here,  then,  Marquette  raised  the  first  Christian  church, 
however  humble,  in  a  vast  stretch  of  territory,  and  ministered  to 
the  few  Frenchmen  who  came  and  to  his  wild  and  fickle  Indian 
flock.  He  pursued  his  studies  in  the  Algonquin  tongue,  and  in 
a  short  time  he  had  acquired  six  of  the  Indian  dialects.  He 
was  in  a  lonesome  land,  but  had  little  time  to  be  lonesome. 
He  saw  Allouez  at  intervals,  Dablon  came  to  share  the  station 
with  him  for  a  time,  and  he  probably  met  his  friend  Druillettes 
at  some  place  in  the  territory,  either  before  or  after  St.  Lusson 
took  formal  possession  of  the  land  for  the  King  of  France  in 
1671. 

We  find  Father  Le  Mercier  writing  in  the  Relations  for 
1669: 

"The  mission  of  the  Ottawas  is  now  one  of  the  finest  in 
New  France.  The  scarcity  of  all  things,  the  brutal  disposition 
of  those  savages,  the  remote  situation — three  hundred  or  four 
hundred  leagues  away — the  number  of  tribes  and  the  promise 
that  an  entire  Nation  has  just  made  to  Father  Allouez  after 
general  council,  to  embrace  the  Christian  faith — all  these  are 
things  that  make  our  missionaries  wish  for  that  mission  with  a 
very  ardent  zeal. 

Suited  for  Apostolic  Labors 

"Father  Claude   Dablon  has  been   sent   to   be  Superior   of 

59 


these  upper  missions,  nothwithstancling  the  abundant  fruits  he 
was  reaping  here.  The  first  place  where  one  meets  these  upper 
nations  is  at  the  Sault,  more  than  two  hundred  leagues  distant 
from  Quebec.  It  is  here  that  the  missionaries  have  established 
themselves  as  the  place  best  suited  to  their  apostolic  labors — 
the  other  tribes  having  been  acustomed  for  some  years  to  be- 
take themselves  thither,  in  order  to  go  down  to  Montreal  or 
Quebec  to  trade.  A  location  has  been  chosen  at  the  foot  of 
the  rapids  in  the  river,  on  the  south  side,  nearly  on  the  46th  de- 
gree of  latitude,  and  the  cold  is  much  less  severe  there  than 
here,  although  we  are  nearly  on  the  same  latitude. 

"Father  Marquette  writes  us  from  the  Sault  that  the  harvest 
there  is  very  abundant,  and  that  it  rests  only  with  the  mis- 
sionaries to  baptize  the  entire  population,  to  the  number  of 
two  thousand.  Thus  far,  however,  our  fathers  have  not  dared 
to  trust  these  people,  who  are  too  acquiescent;  fearing  that  after 
their  baptism  they  will  cling  to  their  customary  superstitions. 
Especial  attention  is  given  to  instructing  them  and  to  baptizing 
the  dying,  who  are  a  surer  harvest." 

Makes  Map  of  Great  Lakes 

In  the  years  1  668-69  Marquette  collaborated  with  Allouez 
in  making  a  map  of  the  Great  lLakes,  which  shows  with  exact- 
ness the  outline  of  the  shores  and  islands  of  this  region  and 
which  was  valuable  for  many  years  as  a  guide  to  the  north 
country. 

About  this  time  Father  Claude  Dablon  recorded  the  follow- 
ing in  the  Relations: 

"What  is  commonly  called  the  Sault  is  not  properly  a  sault 
or  a  high  fall  but  a  very  violent  current  of  waters  from  Lake 
Superieur;  which,  finding  themselves  checked  by  a  great  num- 
bor  of  rocks  that  dispute  their  passage,  form  a  dangerous  cas- 
cade of  half  a  league  in  width.  All  these  waters  descend  and 
plunge  headlong  together  as  by  a  flight  of  stairs,  or  over  rocks 
that  bar  the  whole  river. 

"It  is  three  leagues  below  Lake  Superieur  and  twelve  leagues 
above  the  Lake  of  the  Hurons;  this  entire  extent  making  a  beau- 
tiful river  cut  up  by  many  islands,  which  divide  it  and  increase 
its  width  in  some  places  so  that  the  eye  cannot  reach  across. 
It  flows  very  gently  through  almost  its  entire  course,  being  dif- 
ficult of  passage  only  at  the  Sault. 

Whitefish  Found  Abundantly 

"At  the  foot  of  these  rapids  and  even  amid  these  boiling 
waters,  extensive  fishing  is  carried  on  from  spring  until  winter, 
of  a  kind  of  fish  found  usually  only  in  Lake  Superieur  and  the 
Lake  of  the  Hurons.  It  is  called  in  the  native  language  "At- 
tikameg,"  and  in  ours  "poisson  blanc,"  for  in  truth  it  is  very 

60 


white,  and  it  is  very  excellent;  so  that  in  truth  it  furnishes  food 
almost  by  itself  to  the  greater  part  of  all  these  peoples. 

"Dexterity  and  strength  are  needed  for  this  kind  of  fish- 
ing, for  one  must  stand  upright  in  a  bark  canoe,  and  there 
among  the  whirlpools,  thrust  with  muscles  tense  deep  into  the 
water  a  rod,  at  the  end  of  which  is  fastened  a  net  made  like 
a  pocket,  into  which  the  fish  are  made  to  enter. 

"One  must  look  for  them  as  they  glide  between  the  rocks, 
and  pursue  them  when  they  are  seen.  When  they  have  been 
made  to  enter  the  net,  then  they  are  raised  with  a  sudden  strong 
oull  into  the  canoe, 

Trained  in  Christianity 

"This  convenience  of  having  the  fish  in  such  quantities 
that  one  has  only  to  go  and  draw  them  out,  attracts  the  sur- 
rounding nations  to  the  spot  during  the  summer.  These  people 
being  wanderers  and  living  for  the  most  part  by  fishing,  find 
here  the  means  to  satisfy  their  wants,  and  at  the  same  time  we 
embrace  the  opportunity  to  instruct  them  and  train  them  in 
Christianity  during  their  sojourn  at  this  place.  Therefore  we 
have  been  obliged  to  establish  here  a  permanent  Mission  which 
we  call  "Sainte  Marie  du  Sault." 

"The  natives  of  this  district  call  themselves  "Pahoniting," 
and  the  French  call  them  "Saulteurs,"  because  they  live  at  the 
Sault  as  in  their  own  country.  They  comprise  only  a  hundred 
and  fifty  souls,  but  have  united  themselves  with  three  other 
nations  which  number  more  than  five  hundred  and  fifty. 

"The  nomadic  life  led  by  th^  greater  part  of  the  savages 
of  these  countries  lengthens  the  process  of  their  conversion  and 
leaves  them  only  very  little  time  for  the  instructions  that  we  give 
them.  To  render  them  more  stationary  we  have  fixed  our 
abode  here,  where  we  cause  the  soil  to  be  tilled,  in  order  to 
induce  them  by  our  example  to  do  the  same,  and  in  this  several 
have  already  begun  to  imitate  us.  Moreover  we  have  had  a 
chapel  erected,  and  have  taken  care  to  adorn  it." 

Names  the  Settlement  for  the  Virgin 

So  we  see  that,  a  settlement  having  been  made  that  gave 
promise  of  permanency,  it  seemed  desirable  to  bestow  upon  it 
a  lasting  appellation  in  place  of  the  vague  Bowating,  Sault  de 
Gaston,  or  bault  de  Tracy,  names  used  indiscriminately  by  the 
Indians  or  the  voyageurs.  Marquette  was  a  devotee  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  and  piety  suggested  to  him  the  name  Sainte  Marie 
du  Sault  as  fitting  and  auspicious.  And  no  doubt  it  was  hoped 
to  make  this  mission  a  worthy  successor  to  that  of  the  same 
name  on  the  River  Wye,  destroyed  in  the  Iroquois  wars.  Altered 
a  little,  the  name  gave  the  locality  then  has  come  down  to  us. 

61 


In  further  indication  of  their  coming  to  stay,  the  mission- 
aries  planted  near  their  chapel  a  little  field  of  vegetables,  prob- 
ably Indian  corn,  peas,  and  other  vegetable  simples.  The  pro- 
ducts of  this  little  garden  served  for  their  own  use  and  were 
an  example  in  thrift  as  well  to  their  Indian  congregations,  who 
frequently  brought  misery  upon  themselves  through  their  neglect 
of  agriculture. 

This  meager  description  by  the  Jesuits  of  their  small  be- 
ginnings at  Sainte  Marie  du  Sault  has  been  supplemented  by 
the  account  of  the  Sulpician  priest  Rene  de  Galinee,  who  ar- 
rived here  with  Dollier  de  Casson  in  May,  1670.  It  is  a  mani- 
fest commentary  on  the  confused  knowledge  of  the  Great  Lakes 
country  at  that  time,  that  these  men,  who  had  left  the  Sulpician 
seminary  at  Montreal  the  year  before  in  search  of  the  Ohio 
River,  should  "wind  up"  at  Sainte  Marie  du  Sault. 

Came  Up  From  Detroit 

Although  Galinee  and  Dollier  came  to  us  by  way  of  Lake 
Erie  and  the  Detroit  River,  being  the  first  whites  to  ascend 
those  waters,  it  appears  from  the  dim  records  of  the  time  that 
the  first  plans  of  the  pair  were  to  travel  the  usual  Ottawa 
River  to  the  Sault,  thence  to  Green  Bay  and  across  Wisconsin 
to  the  Mississippi,  which  they  proposed  to  descend  to  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Ohio.  There  they  wished  to  establish  a  mission 
among  the  Shawnees,  who  desired  instructon  in  the  Christian 
faith. 

If  this  interpretation  of  the  ancient  archives  is  correct,  it 
fits  nicely  the  theory  that  Radisson  was  the  true  discoverer  of 
the  Upper  Mississippi,  and  that  he  had  given  the  "lay"  of  the 
stream  to  his  French  friends  in  Montreal.  Captain  Russell 
Blakeley's  examination  of  Radisson' s  narrative,  published  in  the 
Minnesota  Historical  Society's  records,  leaves  little  doubt  of 
Radisson' s  priority. 

About  the  time,  however,  of  their  intended  departure,  the 
afterward  famous  Robert  Cavelier  de  La  Salle,  was  leaving 
Montreal  in  search  of  the  never-forgotten  and  still-desired  land 
of  China.  He  proposed  to  take  the  Lake  Erie  route,  and  he 
induced  Galinee  and  Dollier  to  change  their  plans  and  go  with 
him.  Galinee  was  a  skilled  cartographer,  and  his  services  would 
be  invaluable  in  charting  the  westward  country. 

Take  an  All  Water  Route 

Their  party  of  about  twenty  left  Montreal  in  July,  1669, 
and  proceeded  to  Lake  Ontario  and  the  country  of  the  Iroquois, 
with  whom  the  French  were  now  in  truce.  They  passed  Niagara 
Falls  so  closely  that  they  could  plainly  hear  their  roar,  but  pass- 
ed on  without  visiting  them.  And  near  the  present  site  of  Port 
Stanley,  Ontario,  they  came  most  unexpectedly  upon  Jean  Pere 

62 


and  Louis  Joliet,,  who  was  to  become  as  famous  as  La  Salle, 
returning  from  the  Sault  and  its  vicinity  in  search  of  copper  and 
also  on  a  voyage  of  exploration.  Pere  and  Joliet  were  thus 
the  first  white  men  to  traverse  the  all-water  route — save  only 
the  Niagara  portage — between  Montreal  and  Sainte  Marie  du 
Sault. 

Here  La  Salle  and  Joliet  joined  forces  and  turned  eastward, 
while  Dollier  and  Galinee,  fired  by  Joliet's  tales  of  the  fallow 
and  heathen  North,  and  provided  with  a  plan  of  the  route  to 
the  Sault,  continued  their  journey  to  the  west.  They  did  this 
contrary  to  the  advice  of  La  Salle,  who  reminded  them  of  the 
Jesuit  stations  already  established  to  the  northward. 

Wintering  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Erie,  in  the  spring  of 
1670  they  erected  a  cross  and  scrawled  thereon  the  arms  of 
France,  taking  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  the 
French  king.  At  Point  Pelee  they  lost  their  altar  service  in  a 
storm,  which  appeared  to  them  to  be  the  work  of  the  malicious 
Beelzebub  himself.  On  the  site  of  Detroit  they  found  a  large 
rock  freakishly  carved  by  nature  into  the  remote  resemblance 
of  a  human  form, — a  Manito  before  which  the  Indians  pros- 
trated themselves  and  laid  their  offerings.  The  Frenchmen  at- 
tacked this  false  diety  with  enthusiasm.  "I  was  filled  with 
hatred  against  him,"  says  Galinee  in  his  journal,  "and  I  broke 
him  in  pieces  with  my  axe;  after  which  we  carried  the  largest 
piece  to  the  middle  of  the  river  and  threw  it  with  the  rest  into 
the  water,  trusting  that  he  would  never  be  heard  of  more.  For 
this  righteous  action  God  repaid  us  bountifully,  for  the  very 
same  day  we  killed  a  deer  and  a  bear." 

Canoeing  without  further  adventure  to  the  Sault,  Galinee 
continues: 

Arrive  in  Sault  May  25,  1670 

"We  arrived  on  the  25th  of  May,  1670,  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, at  Sainte  Marie  du  Sault.  This  place  the  Reverend  Jesuit 
Fathers  have  made  their  principal  establishment  for  the  mis- 
sions of  the  Ottawas.  They  had  two  men  in  their  service  since 
last  year,  who  have  built  them  a  pretty  fort,  that  is  to  say,  a 
square  of  cedar  posts  twelve  feet  high  with  a  chapel  and  house 
inside  the  fort,  so  that  now  they  see  themselves  in  the  condition 
of  not  being  dependent  upon  the  Indians.  They  have  a  large 
clearing  well  planted,  from  which  they  ought  to  gather  a  good 
part  of  their  sustenance,  and  they  are  hoping  to  eat  bread  of 
their  own  planting  within  two  years  from  now. 

"The  fruit  these  fathers  are  producing  here  is  more  for  the 
French,  who  are  here  often  to  the  number  of  twenty  or  twenty- 
five,  than  for  the  Indians;  for  although  there  are  some  who 
have  been  baptized,  there  are  none  yet  who  are  good  enough 
Catholics  to  attend  divine  service,  which  is  held  for  the  French, 
who   sing  mass  and   vespers   on  saints'    days  and  Sundays.      I 

63 


saw  no  particular  sign  of  Christianity  among  the  Indians  of  this 
place  nor  in  any  other  country  of  the  Ottawas. 

Fish  Abundant  and  Cheap 

4 'The  Saulteaux  or  Ojibway  Nation,  amongst  whom  the 
fathers  are  established,  live  from  the  time  of  the  melting  of  the 
snows  to  the  beginning  of  winter  on  the  bank  of  a  river  nearly 
half  a  league  wide  and  three  leagues  long,  by  which  Lake 
Superior  falls  into  the  Lake  of  the  Hurons.  This  river  forms 
here  a  rapid  so  teeming  with  fish,  called  poisson  blanc,  or  in 
Algonkin  Aitikameg,  that  the  Indians  could  easily  catch  enough 
to  feed  ten  thousand  men.  Only  Indians  can  carry  it  on,  and 
no  Frenchman  has  hitherto  been  able  to  succeed  at  it,  nor  any 
ether  Indians  than  those  of  this  tribe,  who  are  used  to  this  kind 
of  fishing  from  an  early  age.  In  short  this  fish  is  so  cheap 
that  they  are  given  ten  or  twelve  of  them  for  four  fingers  of 
tobacco.  Each  weighs  six  or  seven  pounds,  but  it  is  so  delicate 
that  I  know  of  no  fish  that  approaches  it.  Sturgeon  is  caught  in 
this  river  in  abundance,  and  meat  is  so  cheap  here  that  for  a 
pound  of  glass  beads  I  had  four  minots  of  fat  entrails  of  moose. 
It  is  here  that  one  gets  a  beaver  robe  for  a  fathom  of  tobacco, 
or  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  powder,  or  for  six  knives,  or  a  fathom 
of  blue  beads. 

"Hitherto  the  country  of  the  Ottawas  had  passed  in  my 
mind  as  a  place  where  there  is  a  great  deal  of  suffering  for 
want  of  food.  But  I  am  so  well  persuaded  of  the  contrary  that 
I  know  of  no  region  in  all  Canada  where  they  are  less  in  want 
of  it. 

Portages  Are  Difficult 

"In  going  there  from  Montreal,  it  is  necessary  to  ascend  a 
river  in  which  thirty  portages  must  be  made  to  avoid  a  like 
manner  of  falls,  in  which  if  one  ran  into  them  he  would  incur 
the  danger  of  losing  a  thousand  lives.  But  the  greatest  danger 
is  in  descending  from  the  Sault  (to  Montreal),  for  if  one  does 
not  know  where  the  landings  are,  to  make  the  portages,  he  runs 
the  risk  of  being  swallowed  up  in  the  falls  and  perishing,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  difficulties  of  the  portages  which  are  gener- 
ally amongst  stones  and  gravel. 

"One  often  ventures  into  the  less  difficult  channels,  in  which, 
if  the  man  who  steers  the  canoe  or  the  man  in  front  were  to  fail 
by  the  thickness  of  a  silver  crown  to  pass  between  rocks  and 
whirlpools  that  are  found  in  these  channels,  the  canoe  would 
be  wrecked  or  fill  with  water,  and  one  would  see  himself  swal- 
lowed up  in  horrible  places. 

"We  arrived  at  Montreal  from  the  Sault  on  the  18th  of 
June,   1670,  after  twenty-two  days  of  most  fatiguing  travel." 

Galinee  and  D oilier,  then,  remained  at  the  Sault  only  three 

64 


A  Chippewa  Indian  Maid 


days.  By  right  of  discovery  the  Jesuits  claimed  the  field,  and 
there  was  nothing  for  the  Sulpicians  to  do  but  to  leave  it  to 
them.  So  the  latter,  recalling  the  advice  of  La  Salle,  abandoned 
their  dream  of  Chippewa  evangelization  through  their  Order; 
and  Galinee  glumly  noted  in  his  journal  that  although  the  Jesuits 
might  have  baptized  a  few  Indians  at  the  rapids,  not  one  of 
them  was  a  good  enough  Christian  to  receive  the  Eucharist. 

Canoes  Were  Only  Means  of  Travel 

Galinee's  canoe  journey  of  twenty-two  days  from  the  Sault 
to  Montreal,  with  its  heart-breaking  and  hair's-breadth  port- 
ages, is  now  a  matter  of  over-night  passage  by  rail.  It  is  im- 
possible to  think  of  that  old  Ottawa  route  to  our  region  with- 
out hearty  admiration  for  the  early  French  explorers  and  cour- 
iers du  bois.  On  that  laborious  traverse  they  employed  noth- 
ing but  the  lightest  and  speediest  canoes,  easily  carried  over  the 
portages,  and  beautiful  as  a  bird  in  their  faultless  lines.  These 
were  called  "canots  du  nord." 

But  on  the  open  waters  of  Superior  and  Huron  much  larger 
craft  were  used,  called  "canots  du  maitre,"  or  master  canoes. 
These  were  about  thirty-five  feet  in  length,  and  no  doubt  Rad- 
isson  used  such  a  bark  as  this  in  his  journey  up  Lake  Superior. 
The  ordinary  crew  for  a  canot  du  maitre  numbered  sixteen  or 
eighteen,  and  it  could  withstand  most  storms  on  the  Great 
Lakes.  Such  a  canoe  could  carry  besides  its  crew  and  four 
or  five  passengers,  one  hundred  and  twenty  bales  of  furs,  aver- 
aging ninety  pounds  each.  These  apparently  frail  craft  were 
seldom  upset,  wrecked,  or  swamped,  they  were  as  buoyant 
as  a  duck.  If  caught  in  a  blow  in  some  long  open  traverse 
from  point  to  point,  or  across  some  arm  of  the  big  lakes,  heavy 
parlas  or  canvas  oil  cloths  were  thrown  over  goods  and  pas- 
sengers, and  the  pluck  and  skilled  strength  of  the  crew  brought 
them  safely  through. 

The  distances  on  the  old  Ottawa-Nipissing  route  to  the  Sault 
were  so  long,  and  the  portages  so  many,  that  time  was  every- 
thing. No  one  thought  of  stopping  for  the  night  before  sun- 
down. When  night  approached  the  voyageurs  landed  at  some 
dry  and  fairly  cleared  spot,  felled  trees  for  fires,  and  if  neces- 
sary cleared  a  space  for  tents.  These  pitched,  a  fire  was  built 
in  front  of  each  and  beds  were  laid,  sometimes  of  balsam  sprig 
mattresses,  sometimes  of  oilcloth  spread  on  the  bare  earth, 
and  above  it  two  or  three  blankets  and  a  pillow.  If  the  wind 
howled  and  the  rain  poured,  the  travelers  piled  on  their  great 
coats  and  furs  and  slept  warm  and  secure  from  the  weather. 

Slept  Under  Canoes 

The  canoes  were  unloaded  nightly  and  drawn  upon  the 
beach,   bottom  upward,    for  inspection   and   mending.      Some- 

65 


times  they  would  be  inclined  to  windward  of  the  fire,  forming 
little  houses  in  which  the  men  could  sleep  in  real  comfort. 

Slumber  was  broken  at  one  in  the  morning  by  the  cry  of 
"Level  Level  Level"  In  five  minutes  the  tents  were  down 
and  loaded,  and  within  half  an  hour  cargoes  had  been  stowed 
and  the  paddles  were  keeping  time  to  some  old  French  chanson 
as  the  canoes  hastened  on  their  way. 

At  eight  in  the  morning  a  stop  was  made  for  breakfast, 
which  consumed  a  hurried  thirty  minutes,  and  at  two  in  the 
afternoon  a  cold  lunch  was  taken.  The  day  was  thus  divided 
into  six  hours  of  rest  and  eighteen  hours  of  labor.  This  almost 
incredible  toil  of  the  voyageurs  endured  without  a  murmur, 
indeed,  they  were  generally  in  hilarious  spirits. 

The  quality  of  such  work  as  well  as  its  quantity,  required 
men  of  iron  mold.  In  smooth  water  the  paddles  were  plied 
with  twice  the  rapidity  of  oars,  taxing  arms  and  lungs  to  the 
limit.  In  shallows  the  canoes  were  dragged  by  the  men  wading 
to  their  knees  or  their  hips.  In  rapids,  the  towing  line  wa 
hauled  along  over  rocks  and  stumps,  through  swamps  and 
thickets,  excepting  that  in  places  where  the  ground  was  utterly 
impracticticable,   poles  were  substituted. 


i 


Carried  Great  Pack  Loads 

On  the  portages,  where  the  breaks  were  of  all  imaginabl 
degrees  of  badness,  the  canoes  were  never  carried  across  i 
less  than  two  or  three  trips,  often  a  distance  of  a  mile  or  more 
Each  man  carried,  over  these  slippery,  tortuous  and  uneven 
paths,  at  least  two  pieces  averaging  ninety  pounds  each.  These 
he  lugged  in  shoulder-straps,  knapsack-wise,  with  an  additional 
sling  of  leather  or  tunk-strap  placed  across  the  forehead,  so 
that  his  hands  were  free  to  clear  the  way  among  the  branches 
of  the  standing  trees,  or  over  the  prostrate  trunks. 

Passengers  also  helped  to  keep  the  men  busy.  The  canoes 
seldom  could  approach  the  shore  closely  enough  to  enable  the 
passengers  to  step  dry-shod  from  the  gunwale,  and  no  sooner 
was  a  halt  made  than  the  crew  were  in  the  water  to  carry  their 
human  freight  ashore.  They  took  especial  pride  in  this  part  of 
their  duties,  and  often  as  not  some  stocky  little  fellow  would 
take  possession  with  the  utmost  good-nature  of  the  heaviest 
passenger  in  the  party,  perhaps  considerably  exceeding  in 
weight  the  standard  mentioned  of  two  bales  of  furs. 

All  this  work  was  invariably  done  to  the  accompaniment 
of  song.  Many  were  the  pretty  ditties  brought  from  France 
by  the  old  voyageurs  into  these  remote  countries,  and  to  this 
day  you  may  hear  now  and  then  in  the  bays  and  wild  rivers  of 
Lake  Superior,  segments  of  some  old  chanson  sung  three  hun- 
dred years  ago  in  Normandy,  and  now  forgotten  there.  The 
voyageurs  embroidered  every  hour  with     song, — the     eternal 

66 


=i 


swinging  at  the  paddles,  the  tugging  at  the  lines  in  the  shallows, 
the  back-bending  portages,  the  social  meetings  at  the  camp- 
fire, — rejoicing  the  lonely  heart  longing  for  song  and  melody, 
and  perhaps  for  home. 

There  were  chansons  a  l'aviron,  songs  of  the  paddle;  chan- 
sons a  la  rame,  songs  of  the  oar;  chansons  de  canot  a  lege, 
songs  of  the  light  canoe;  chansons  de  canot  du  maitre,  songs 
of  the  heavy  canoe;  and  so  on.  The  chanson  La  Belle  Rose 
was  one  most  widely  known  and  commonly  sung  in  the 
Great  Lakes  country  for  over  one  hundred  years,  and  a  stanza 
from  it  is  appended  here: 

CHANSON  LA  BELLE  ROSE 
(Pour  L'Avionon) 

Maio  je  n*ai  trouve  personne, 

Que  le  rossignol,  chantant  la  belle  rose, 

La  belle  rose  du  rosier  blanc! 
Qui  me  dit  dans  son  langage, 
Marie-toi,  car  il  est  temps,  a  la  belle  rose, 

A  la  belle  rose  du  rosier  blanc! 

Comment  veux-tu  que  je  me  marie 
Avec  la  belle  rose, 

La  belle  rose  du  rosier  blanc? 

Then  there  was  another  sort  of  songs,  of  deeper  poetical 
feeling,  termed  the  "complaintes."  These  complaintes  found  a 
peculiarly  local  habitation  and  a  name  in  the  Lake  Superior 
country,  far  from  Montreal  and  Quebec,  and  farther  still  from 
la  belle  France.  For  voyageurs  regarded  themselves  as  exiles, 
banished  first  from  France  and  then  frow  Lower  Canada.  There 
have  been  whole  famlies  of  voyageurs  in  the  upper  Great  Lakes 
region  who,  from  father  to  great-grandson,  have  sung  of  the 
return  to  Canada,  or  the  return  to  France,  but  who  have  all 
perished  here.  And  one  song  they  all  knew  was  "The  Fate 
of  Jean  Cayeux,"  which  describes  a  thoroughly  Canadian 
tragedy,  and  is  characteristic  of  the  voyageurs  and  the  country. 

Jean  Cayeux  a  Great  Voyageur 

Jean  Cayeux,  according  to  the  story,  was  a  great  voyageur, 
who  lived  in  the  old  days  on  the  banks  of  the  Ottawa  River, 
near  the  cataracts  known  as  Le  Grand  Calumet.  Surprised 
there  by  the  Iroquois,  he  managed  to  save  his  family  by  send- 
ing them  over  the  rapids  in  a  canoe,  but  was  driven  to  the 
woods  by  his  enemies.  The  chase  lasted  for  days,  and  hourly 
Jean  heard  the  howling  of  the  savages  pursuing  him.  At 
length  they  grew  weary  and  ceased  to  follow  him,  but  his  pro- 
visions gave  out,  his  strength  failed,  and  soon  it  was  all  over 
with  poor  Cayeux.      Lost   and   alone,   visited   only  by  wolves 

67 


and  ravens,  he  managed  to  build  a  little  hut  of  branches  on 
the  bank  of  a  creek  and  lay  down  to  die.  With  the  last  remnant 
of  strength  he  dug  a  grave,  and  at  its  head  he  erected  a  cross, 
carving  on  the  wood  his  complainte,  the  entire  history  of  his 
tragic  fate.  So  at  least  the  old  song  runs.  Friends  who  found 
his  body  laid  it  away  in  the  grave,  saved  his  complainte  from 
oblivion,  and  renewed  the  cross  from  time  to  time,  so  that  the 
exact  spot  of  his  death  is  known  to  this  day.  Many  a  friendly 
tear  has  been  shed  over  poor  Jean,  who  died  so  pitiably  thou- 
sands of  miles  from  home.  And  in  a  country  and  a  time  when 
every  voyageur  might  have  been  at  least  once  in  a  position 
more  or  less  resembling  that  of  Cayeux,  and  where  wolves  and 
ravens  often  passed  him,  eagerly  desiring  to  pick  his  bones, 
you  may  imagine  with  what  sympathy  they  listened  to  such 
complaintes. 


They  Were  a  Singing  (Lot 

They  were  a  singing  lot,  these  bold  and  enterprising  French 
men  who  were  coming  to  the  Sault  in  increasing  numbers  for 
furs;  a  lusty  crowd  of  devil-may-care  fellows,  trapping  game, 
trading  at  the  scattered  posts,  and  living  the  life  of  the  Indian. 
They  took  with  them  their  meed  of  romance  when  they  passed, 
and  the  bonny  channels  of  St.  Mary's  River  ring  no  more  with 
the 

SONG  OF  THE  VOYAGEURS 

Pull,  lads,  pull,  the  stream  runs  strong, 

Our  every  sinew  testing; 
Sing,  lads,  sing,  and  the  mellow  song 

Will  cheer  as  the  v/aves  we're  breasting; 
The  wind  blows  chill 
From  yonder  hill, 
But  the  roast  deer  waits  at  the  cabin  grill. 

Welcome  are  we  at  the  bark  tepee, 
In  its  council  we're  no  strangers; 
We  harry  the  bear  from  his  hollow  tree, 
And  what  care  we  for  dangers? 
We  plant  our  lure 
On  mount  and  moor, 
Oh,  free  as  the  wild  is  the  voyageur! 

Brave  souls  and  true,  let  us  breathe  a  prayer 

To  the  Maid  benign  above  us; 
May  she  have  and  hold  in  her  jealous  care 
The  distant  ones  who  love  us, 
Till  comes  the  day 
Where  fare  we  may 
To  the  fatherland  that  is  far  away! 

68 


In  May,  1670,  the  same  month  in  which  Galinee  arrived 
in  Sainte  Marie  du  Sault,  Charles  II,  King  of  England,  granted 
Radisson  and  Groselliers  and  their  associates  and  successors  a 
patent  for  trading  in  "The  Bay  called  Hudson's  Streights." 

Two  ships  had  been  outfitted  in  England,  the  "Eagle"  and 
the  "Nonesuch,"  in  1667,  and  the  far  north  route  opened  of 
which  Radisson  speaks  thus  in  his  narrative: 

Forced  to  Cut  Off  Masts 

Wee  went  out  with  a  new  Company  in  two  small  vessels, 
my  brother  in  one  and  I  in  another,  and  wee  went  together 
four  hundred  leagues  from  ye  North  of  Ire'and,  where  a  sud- 
den greate  storm  did  rise  and  put  us  asunder.  Ye  sea  was  so 
furious  six  or  seven  hours  after  that  it  did  almost  overturn 
cur  ship.  So  that  wee  were  forced  to  cut  our  masts  rather 
than  cutt  our  lives;  but  wee  came  back  safe,  God  be  thanked; 
and  ye  other,  I  hope,  is  gone  on  his  voyage,  God  be  with  him." 

Groseilliers  found  his  way  to  Prince  Rupert  River,  which 
he  named  in  honor  of  his  patron,  built  a  fort  there  and  estab- 
lished friendly  relations  with  the  natives.  Word  of  the  new- 
comers spread  abroad  through  the  country  north  of  Lake  Su- 
perior,  and  through  Canada  and  France. 

The  defection  of  this  famous  pair  in  the  North  promptly 
aroused  the  ire  and  anxiety  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France,  his  min- 
ister Colbert,  and  Intendant  Talon  at  Quebec.  Their  presence 
at  Hudson's  Bay  was  the  principal  reason  for  the  annexation 
ceremonies  of  St.  Lusson  at  Sainte  Marie  du  Sault  in  1671. 
It  was  bound  to  come  anyway — for  Talon  had  long  con- 
templated such  a  proclamation — but  its  heralding  certainly  was 
hastened  by  the  formation  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  in 
London  in  1  670. 

The  St.  Lusson  Pageant 

This  determination  to  stop  the  English  by  taking  formal 
possession  of  the  land,  resulted  in  probably  the  most  spec- 
tacular event  ever  staged  in  old  Sainte  Marie  du  Sault.  If  the 
French  projects  promulgated  here  that  June  day  in  1671  had 
materialized,  it  is  likely  they  would  have  changed  the  course 
of  the  whole  world.  For  Talon  was  a  sagacious  and  far-seeing 
man,  and  he  dreamed  of  a  great  French  empire  on  the  north- 
ern American  continent.  His  aim  was  to  keep  the  English 
clinging  to  the  eastern  seaboard,  and  he  even  thought  of  secur- 
ing a  seaport  for  France  on  the  distant  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

In  spite  of  his  visions  of  empire,  Talon  seems  to  have  been 
extremely  careful  of  his  and  the  King's  money.  When  he  sent 
Daumont  de  St.  Lusson  exploring  for  copper  in  our  vicinity, 
and  instructed  him  at  the  same  time  to  announce  possession  of 
the  country  here  at  the  Chippewa  capital,  he  ordered  St.  Lusson 


to  pay  all  expenses  of  his  grand  tour  by  trading  in  furs  with 
the  Indians. 

St.  Lusson  set  forth  from  Quebec  in  1670  and  wintered  at 
Manitoulin  Island.  With  him  came  Nicholas  Perrot,  a  famous 
interpreter  and  a  Frenchman  of  extraordinary  influence  among 
the  Indian  tribes,  requesting  them  to  send  representatives  to  a 
great  meeting  to  be  held  at  Sainte  Marie  du  Sault  in  the  spring 
of  1671.  Perrot  personally  extended  this  invitation  to  the  In- 
dian nations  in  the  vicinity  of  Green  Bay,  and  brought  to  the 
Sault  in  May  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  Sacs,  Winnebagoes, 
Menominees  and  Potawatomies. 

It  is  impossible  to  point  with  certitude  to  the  exact  spot 
where  this  ceremony  of  possession  took  place.  Most  writers 
have  assumed  that  St.  Lusson  stood  on  the  rise  of  ground  south 
of  the  Weitzel  Lock.  But  there  appears  to  be  ample  evidence 
that  this  hill  did  not  exist  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and  that 
the  ground  there  was  "made"  by  the  detritus  from  canal  ex- 
cavations long  after. 

No  Hill  There  Then 

Furthermore,  there  are  prints  in  existence  which  show  no 
hill  at  that  point  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
It  is  true  the  banks  of  the  rapids  showed  a  slight  elevation  fur- 
ther west,  beyond  the  circular  flower  plot  in  Lock  Park.  But 
this  spot  was  used  as  an  Indian  place  of  burial,  and  it  is  not  at 
all  likely  that  St.  Lusson  would  choose  a  cemetery  or  even  its 
immediate  vicinity  for  proclamation  purposes. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  little  hill — the  "petite  eminence" 
mentioned  by  Dablon — where  the  obelisk  now  rises,  stands 
out  sharply  in  the  old  prints.  It  was  adjacent  to  the  chapel  of 
the  missionaries  and  the  Indian  village.  At  its  foot  was  the 
landing-place  for  the  canoes  of  the  French  and  the  visiting 
tribes.  In  all  likelihood  it  had  been  a  place  of  council  for 
hundreds  of  years.  It  is  natural,  therefore,  to  infer  that  St. 
Lusson  stood  forth  to  proclaim  French  sovereignty  and  to 
breathe  defiance  to  England,  on  the  very  spot  where  many  years 
after  the  great  obelisk  was  raised  to  commemorate  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  the  opening  of  the  locks. 

In  the  Name  of  Louis  XIV. 

Fourteen  Indian  tribes  were  represented  there,  on  that  morn- 
ing of  the  fourteenth  of  June,  1671.  Four  Jesuits  took  part 
in  the  ceremonies — Dablon,  Superior  of  the  Missions,  Allouez, 
Andre,  and  Druillettes.  Twenty  Frenchmen  signed  the  record 
of  the  day,  among  them  Louis  Joliet  and  Nicholas  Perrot,  who 
interpreted  to  the  Indians  the  words  of  St.  Lusson..  Around 
them  hovered  the  great  throng  of  Indians  who  had  come  from 
Hudson's  Bay  and  the  Red  River  of  the  North  to — tradition 

70 


says — the  Red  River  of  the  South,  and  from  Quebec  to  the 
Mississippi,  meeting  here  at  the  council  place  of  the  tribes  in 
Bowating. 

First  a  great  wooden  cross  was  blessed  and  planted,  and  a 
staff  showing  the  royal  arms  of  France.  Then  St.  Lusson, 
standing  with  his  sword  in  one  hand  and  in  the  other  a  clod  of 
earth,  symbol  of  his  taking  possession,  spoke  thus  in  a  loud 
voice  to  the  assemblage: 

"In  the  name  of  the  most  high,  mighty  and  redoubtable 
monarch,  Louis  Fourteenth  of  that  name,  Most  Christian  King  of 
France  and  Navarre,  I  take  over  this  Sainte  Marie  du  Sault,  the 
Lakes  Huron  and  Superior,  Manitoulin  Island,  and  all  the  other 
countries,  lakes  and  streams  adjacent  thereto,  both  those  dis- 
covered and  those  which  may  be  discovered  hereafter,  in  all 
their  length  and  breadth,  bounded  on  the  one  side  by  the 
oceans  of  the  north  and  west,  and  on  the  other  by  the  South 
Sea,  declaring  to  the  nations  therein  that  from  this  time  hence- 
forth they  are  subjects  of  His  Majesty,  bound  to  obey  his  laws 
and  follow  his  customs;  promising  them  on  his  part  all  succor 
and  protection  against  their  enemies;  and  declaring  to  all  other 
princes  and  potentates,  states  and  republics,  to  them  and  their 
peoples,  that  they  must  not  seize  or  settle  upon  any  part  of  the 
aforesaid  countries,  save  only  under  the  good  pleasure  of  His 
Most  Christian  Majesty  and  of  him  who  will  govern  in  his  be- 
half; and  this  on  pain  of  incurring  his  resentment  and  the  weight 
of  his  arms.     Long  live  the  King!" 

Thus  bravely  spake  St.  Lusson  on  that  famous  day  in  June, 
standing  on  the  little  hill  by  the  river.  And  if  the  headstrong 
English  had  paid  due  and  hoped-for  attention  to  his  words,  the 
French  tricolor  would  be  waving  in  Lock  Park  today. 

All  Join  in  Uproar 

The  Frenchmen  fired  their  muskets  and  joined  in  shouting 
"Vive  le  Roi!"  And  the  Indians  joined  in  the  uproar  without, 
probably,  having  any  idea  of  what  it  was  all  about. 

When  the  tumult  had  subsided,  Father  Claude  Allouez,  as 
told  in  the  Relations,  began  to  eulogize  the  King,  in  order  to 
make  all  those  nations  understand  what  sort  of  man  he  was 
whose  standard  they  beheld,  and  to  whose  sovereignty  they 
were  that  day  submitting.  "It  is  a  good  work,  my  brothers," 
he  said  to  the  Indians  in  their  language,  "that  brings  us  together 
in  council  today.  Look  at  the  cross  that  rises  above  your 
heads.  It  was  there  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  after 
making  himself  a  man  for  the  love  of  men,  was  nailed  and  died, 
to  satisfy  his  Father  for  our  sins.  It  is  he  of  whom  I  am  con- 
tinually speaking  to  you,  and  whose  name  and  word  I  have 
borne  all  through  your  country.  Look  at  this  post  to  which 
are  fixed  the  arms  of  the  Great  Chief  of  France,  whom  we  call 

71 


King.  He  lives  across  the  sea.  He  is  the  chief  of  the  greatest 
chiefs,  and  has  no  equal  on  earth.  All  the  chiefs  whom  you 
have  ever  seen  are  but  children  beside  him. 

"When  he  says,  'I  am  going  to  war,'  everybody  obeys  his 
orders,  and  each  of  his  ten  thousand  chiefs  raises  a  troop  of 
a  hundred  warriors,  some  on  sea  and  some  on  land.  When 
our  King  attacks  his  enemies  he  is  more  terrible  than  the  thun- 
der; the  earth  trembles,  the  air  and  the  sea  are  all  on  fire  with 
the  blaze  of  his  cannon;  he  is  seen  in  the  midst  of  his  warriors, 
covered  with  the  blood  of  his  enemies,  whom  he  kills  in  such 
numbers  that  he  does  not  reckon  them  by  the  scalps,  but  by  the 
streams  of  blood  which  he  causes  to  flow.  He  takes  so  many 
prisoners  that  he  holds  them  in  no  account,  but  lets  them  go 
where  they  will,  to  show  that  he  is  not  afraid  of  them.  But 
now  nobody  dares  make  war  on  him.  All  the  nations  beyond 
the  sea  have  submitted  to  him  and  begged  humbly  for  peace. 

And  a  Mighty  Man  Was  He 

"The  width  of  this  great  river  would  be  but  a  step  for  him, 
and  were  he  here  he  could  span  these  rapids  with  one  foot 
on  the  north  shore  and  the  other  on  the  south.  His  house 
is  longer  than  from  here  to  the  top  of  the  Sault, — that  is  to  say 
more  than  half  a  league, — and  it  holds  more  families  than  the 
largest  of  your  towns.  All  that  is  done  in  the  world  is  de- 
cided by  him  alone." 

And  we  read  further  that  the  spectacle  closed  that  night 
with  a  tremendous  bonfire  on  the  shore,  around  which  the  Te 
Deum  was  sung,  to  thank  God  on  behalf  of  these  poor  peoples 
that  were  now  the  subjects  of  so  great  and  powerful  a  monarch. 

Never  before  nor  since  has  France  annexed  so  gigantic  a 
domain  as  was  here  formally  taken  over  in  1671.  It  is  fascin- 
ating to  speculate  on  what  might  have  been  if  the  English  had 
abandoned  Hudson's  Bay,  or  if  Montcalm  had  won  the  victory 
on  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  or  even  if  all  the  tribes  had  remained 
faithful  to  the  French.  The  Almighty  willed  otherwise,  and 
the  muskets  of  the  English  confirmed  the  verdict. 

When  St.  Lusson  and  his  men  had  departed  up  Lake  Super- 
ior in  search  of  furs,  the  Indians  appropriated  the  shield  bearing 
the  arms  of  France.  Perhaps  some  savage  individual  threw  it 
into  the  river  or  destroyed  it,  fearing  it  as  an  evil  charm  or  a 
Matchi  Manito;  possibly  it  went  to  some  Bowating  Indian  who 
hung  the  pretty  gew-gaw  on  the  wall  of  his  lodge.  At  any 
rate  it  promptly  disappeared,  a  prophetic  symbol  of  the  French 
suzerainty  which  was  soon  to  follow.  But  tradition  tells  us 
that  the  towering  cross  stood  firm  in  the  river  bank  for  a  long 
time. 

Marquette  Comes  to  Mackinac. 

Marquette  was  not  present  at  the  pageant  of  St.  Lusson,  for 
he  had  been  sent  to  take  charge  of  the  St.   Esprit  Mission  on 

72. 


the  southwestern  shore  of  Lake  Superior.  Threatened  there 
by  the  Sioux  in  his  ministry  to  the  Ottawas  and  the  Hurons 
driven  thence  by  the  Iroquois,  he  brought  his  flock  in  safety 
down  the  lake  and  established  himself  probably  first  on  Mack- 
inac Island,  and  afterward  on  the  mainland  where  St.  Ignace 
now  stands.  With  him  went  an  Indian  boy,  a  slave  who  had 
been  captured  in  the  country  of  the  Illini.  This  boy  was  no  doubt 
useful  to  Marquette  on  his  voyage  of  discovery  down  to  the 
Mississippi,  as  the  following  letter  of  the  missionary  shows: 

"When  the  Illinois  came  north  they  passed  a  great  river 
almost  a  league  wide.  It  runs  north  and  south,  and  so  far  that 
the  Illinois,  who  do  not  know  what  canoes  are,  have  never  heard 
of  its  mouth;  they  only  know  that  below  them  are  very  great 
nations,  some  of  whom  raise  two  corps  of  corn  a  year.  This 
great  river  can  hardly  empty  into  Virginia,  and  we  rather  be- 
lieve its  mouth  is  in  California.  If  the  Indians  who  promise 
me  a  canoe  keep  their  word,  we  shall  go  into  this  river  as  soon 
as  we  can,  with  a  Frenchman  and  this  young  man  who  has 
been  given  to  me.  We  shall  visit  the  nations  that  inhabit  it 
in  order  to  open  the  way  to  so  many  of  our  fathers  who  have 
long  awaited  this  happiness.  This  discovery  will  give  us  a 
complete  knowledge  of  the  southern  or  western  sea." 

The  Frenchman  Marquette  speaks  of  was  Louis  Joliet.  To- 
gether they  left  St.  Ignace  in  the  spring  of  1673  and  made 
their  famous  voyage  of  discovery  down  the  Mississippi.  Re- 
turning, they  ascended  the  Illinois  River,  and  with  a  short  port- 
age, they  floated  down  the  Chicago  River  to  the  present  site 
of  the  metropolis,  the  quick  eye  of  Joliet  discerning  the  possi- 
bilities of  a  canal  which  might  some  day  link  the  Great  Lakes 
to  the  South  Sea. 

Father  Marquette  Dies 

Joliet  returned  to  the  east,  while  Marquette  labored  at 
Green  Bay  until  the  fall  of  1674.  Repairing  to  the  southern 
shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  he  passed  the  winter  there  in  extreme 
illness.  He  wished  to  return  to  St.  Ignace  in  the  spring  of 
1675,  but  disease  had  made  such  inroads  that  he  was  not  able 
to  complete  the  journey.  His  Indian  canoe-men,  seeing  that 
he  was  about  to  die,  entered  the  mouth  of  a  little  river  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  afterward  known  as  the  Pere 
Marquette,  and  they  had  hardly  taken  him  ashore  before  he 
expired. 

The  largest  county  in  Michigan  and  one  of  its  most  beauti- 
ful cities  take  their  name  from  Marquette.  His  name  is  com- 
memorated in  that  of  a  great  railroad,  and  of  a  renowned  Wis- 
consin university.  The  latter  state  has  raised  his  statue  in  the 
Hall  of  Fame  in  Washington  in  remembrance  of  one  of  her 
greatest  citizens.  And  Le  Sault  de  Sainte  Marie  cherishes  him 
as  her   founder,    her   early   chronicler,    the   builder   of   her   first 

73 


church  and  probably  her  first  white  man's  permanent  home, 
and  as  the  one  who  bestowed  upon  her  the  name  by  which 
she  shall  be  known  for  all  time. 

Shortly  after  the  St.  Lusson  ceremony  the  Sault  chapel 
burned  and  another  replaced  it.  About  this  time  Father  Nouvel 
wrote  from  here  to  Governor  Frontenac: 

"This  place,  to  which  the  abundance  of  whitefish  caught 
gives  considerable  importance,  daily  becomes  more  beautiful 
and  more  comfortable,  especially  since  the  savages  apply  them- 
selves to  planting  Indian  corn 

"In  their  fear  of  being  attacked  by  their  enemies,  they  pre- 
fer to  dwell  near  the  church  rather  than  in  their  own  fort. 
They  even  wish  to  place  their  women  and  children  there  for 
safety  when  they  went  down  to  Montreal  to  trade   ..... 

English  Are  Feared 

"All  these  tidings  (of  the  English  at  Hudson  Bay  trouble 
the  Indians  attached  to  us,  who  are  enjoying  the  peace  that  the 
victorious  wars  of  the  King  have  acquired  for  them,  and  the 
protection  of  Heaven  that  rising  Christianity  brings  them.  But 
we  do  not  fail  to  give  them  the  necessary  encouragement  to 
keep  themselves  closely  united  both  to  God  and  the  French, 
assuring  them  that  in  this  union  they  have  no  reason  to  fear." 

A  bloody  fight  occurred  at  the  mission  in  1674  which  ser- 
iously threatened  its  stability.  After  a  sanguinary  battle  be- 
tween Sault  Indians  and  the  Sioux  in  the  western  part  of  the 
peninsula,  in  which  the  latter  were  badly  worsted,  the  Sioux 
begged  for  peace,  and  sent  ten  representatives  of  their  tribe 
here  to  conclude  it.  A  large  band  of  Crees,  enemies  of  the 
Sioux,  came  down  from  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  bent 
on  preventing  a  truce  if  possible.  For  safety's  sake  Fathers 
Dablon  and  Drouilletes  took  the  ten  Sioux  Indians  into  their 
home,  whither  they  were  followed  by  a  crowd  of  Crees  and 
Saulteur  Indians,  some  of  them  with  knives. 


The  Battle  in  the  Cabin 

A  Cree  Chief  advanced  to  one  of  the  Sioux,  and  brandish- 
ing a  knife  before  him,  said,  "Thou  are  afraid!"  The  Sioux 
replied  without  flinching,  "If  thou  thinkest  I  tremble,  strike 
straight  at  my  heart."  The  aggressor  struck,  and  the  Sioux 
with  a  cry  for  help,  fell  dead  upon  the  floor.  Immediately 
his  companions  drew  their  concealed  knives  and  drove  them  in- 
discriminately into  the  bodies  of  the  nearest  Crees  or  Saulteurs. 
A  tremendous  shindy  followed.  The  Cree  who  had  begun  the 
fight  was  the  first  of  his  band  to  be  killed,  the  others  were 
quickly  slashed  to  death  or  driven  out  of  the  house. 

Mad  with  rage,  the  Crees  and  Saulteurs  piled  inflammable 
material  against  the  house  and   fired   it,   some  of   them  being 

74 


shot  by  the  Sioux,  who  had  discovered  some  muskets  within. 
Driven  out  by  the  flames,  the  Sioux  took  possession  of  a  neigh- 
boring cabin  where  they  made  a  wonderfully  game  fight,  kill- 
ing and  wounding  some  fifty  of  their  adversaries  before  their 
last  man  was  slain.  The  priests'  house  was  burned,  the  chapel 
barely  escaped,  and  blood,  dead,  wounded  and  dying  lay 
everywhere  within  the  little  enclosure. 

For  some  time  the  missionaries  were  apprehensive  of  re- 
prisals on  the  part  of  the  Sioux  for  the  death  of  their  ambas- 
sadors. But  that  tribe  either  respected  the  prowess  of  the 
Sault  Indians  too  much  to  retaliate,  or  was  busy  elsewhere  in 
Indian  warfare,  for  we  have  no  record  of  further  trouble  at 
the  time. 


rather  Charles  Albanel 

The  annals  of  this  eventful  decade  would  be  incomplete 
without  reference  to  Father  Charles  Albanel,  who  came  to  the 
Sault  in  1676.  His  diary  is  in  the  Relation  of  1672.  In  1670 
he  left  Quebec  with  a  party  of  Indians,  travelled  northward  a 
distance  of  2,400  miles  and  was  the  first  white  man  to  reach 
Hudson's  Bay  by  the  overland  route. 

He  made  a  second  trip  over  the  same  country  in  1  764  and 
was  made  a  prisoner  by  the  English  at  the  Bay.  He  was  sent 
to  England  by  them  and  returned  to  France  in  1675.  A  year 
later  we  find  him  at  the  Sault,  where  he  ministered  to  the  In- 
dians and  the  French  voyageurs  for  many  years,  dying  here  in 
January,  1696.  His  body  is  buried  somewhere  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  old  Johnston  home,  the  exact  spot  being  unknown,  and 
the  great  achievements  and  even  the  name  of  Charles  Albanel 
are  almost  forgotten. 

La  Salle  Made  Brave  Fight 

Not  so  with  Robert  Cavelier  de  La  Salle  and  Henri  de 
Tonty,  for  Parkman  has  made  them  immortal.  If  ever  a  man 
rose  superior  to  a  thousands  discouragements,  that  man  was 
La  Salle.  When  you  feel  dispirited,  or  if  you  ever  have  the 
blues,  read  Parkman's  "La  Salle  and  the  Discovery  of  the  Great 
West,"  and  learn  how  La  Salle  rose  superior  to  heart-breaking 
misfortunes  that  make  your  troubles  seem  trifles. 

When  La  Salle  came  up  Lake  Huron  in  1679  with  his 
"floating  fort,"  the  Griffin,  the  first  vessel  of  any  size  to 
sail  the  upper  Great  Lakes,  Tonty  and  Hennepin  were  with  him. 
Fifteen  men  had  preceded  them  on  various  errands,  but  only 
four  awaited  them  at  Michilmackinac.  La  Salle  sent  Tonty 
to  the  Sault  in  search  of  the  rest,  and  Tonty  captured  two  of 
them  here. 

75 


The  Iron  Hand 

In  May  of  this  year  1923,  Mr.  Wm.  Roach  of  Sault  Ste. 
Marie,  Ontario,  while  working  on  his  grounds  at  the  corner  of 
Spring  and  Wellington  streets  in  that  city,  found  an  iron  hand. 
The  cast  of  the  palm  is  perfect  (the  hand  is  the  left  one)  but 
the  back  is  nearly  flat,  and  rough.  Many  people  have  measured 
their  hands  on  the  relic,  but  only  one  man,  a  native  of  Quebec 
and  of  French  descent,  has  found  it  an  exact  reproduction  of 
his  own.  The  fingers  have  an  evenness  of  length  often  ob- 
served among  the  French  and  other  Latin  races. 

Tonty  was  known  in  Canada  as  "The  Man  With  the  Iron 
Hand,"  having  lost  his  left  hand  in  an  Italian  battle.  He  is 
known  to  have  worn  the  hand  of  iron  when  he  came  to  New 
France,  and  probably  he  had  it  when  he  came  up  Lake  Huron 
with  La  Salle.  But  there  is  a  record  extant  of  Tonty' s  em- 
barrassment in  1  682  when,  being  in  the  Arkansas  country,  the 
Indians  made  signs  of  friendship  by  joining  hands.  This  Tonty 
could  not  do  in  response,  as  one  of  his  hands  was  missing,  but 
he  directed  his  men  to  act  in  like  fashion.  Where,  then,  was 
the  iron  hand  which,  if  there,  could  have  been  grasped  by  the 
other?  Drawings  of  Tonty  made  later  show  his  left  hand 
gone.  When  he  came  to  the  Sault,  did  the  deserters  hear  of 
his  approach  and  withdraw  to  the  left  side  of  the  river,  and 
did  he  follow  them  there  and  lose  his  iron  hand  in  the  search 
of  the  woods?  Or  is  the  hand  a  product  of  Alexander  Henry's 
furnace  a  century  later,  a  token  of  the  beginnings  of  iron  min- 
ing and  smelting  in  Canada?      Nobody  kows. 

First  White  Court  Is  Held 

Daniel  Greysoion  Du  L'hut,  "King  of  the  Couriers  de  Bois," 
paid  Sainte  Marie  du  Sault  a  visit  in  1  684  under  unusual  cir- 
cumstances. When  he  was  temporary  Commandant  at  Mich- 
ihmackinac  in  the  absence  of  De  la  Durantaye,  word  came  that 
two  Frenchmen  had  been  murdered  by  Indians  in  the  Lake 
Superior  district,  also  that  those  suspected  of  the  murder  were 
at  the  Sault.  Du  L'hut  promptly  embarked  for  the  Sault  with 
a  half  dozen  Frenchmen,  and  reinforced  by  less  than  a  score  of 
his  compatriots  residing  here,  he  seized  the  suspects  and 
brought  them  to  trial,   with  himself  as  judge. 

In  the  face  of  several  hundred  menacing  Indian  friends 
of  the  accused,  Du  L'hut  proceeded  to  establish  the  guilt  or 
innocence  of  his  prisoners.  The  evidence  was  conflicting,  but 
Du  L'hut,  fearing  the  effect  of  leniency  on  the  Indians,  issued 
the  dictum  of  a  life  for  a  life,  and  the  two  most  probably 
guilty  ones  were  shot  on  the  river  bank.  This  was  the  first 
white  man's  legal  trial  and  execution  of  which  we  have  record 
in  the  Northwest.  The  proceedings  tally  well  with  Du  L'hut's 
reputation.      He  is  said  to  have  been  a  man  of  extraordinary 

76 


strength;  to  have  penetrated  the  Rockies  to  the  western  ocean 
and  to  have  entered  the  councils  of  a  score  of  tribes.  His 
Indian  wives,  the  old  stories  tell  us,  were  scattered  at  conven- 
ient distances  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  Once,  at  St. 
Anthony's  Falls  on  the  Mississippi,  he  challenged  a  thousand 
Indians  and  rescued  Hennepin,  a  former  battlefield  comrade 
in  France.  Du  L'hut's  name  is  commemorated  in  that  of  the 
Zenith  City. 

Sault  de  Sainte  Marie 

In  ancient  times  the  rapids — and  by  synecdoche  the  village 
beside  them — were  called  Asticou  by  the  Indians,  according 
to  tradition.  At  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century  the 
Chippewas  knew  the  locality  as  Bowating.  Etienne  Brule 
named  it  Saut  de  Gaston  in  1622.  Thirty-two  years  later 
Father  Allouez  entered  the  region  on  his  map  as  the  Saut  de 
Tracy.  A  few  years  after  this  Father  Marquette  renamed  it 
Sainte  Marie  du  Sault.  And  in  the  Jesuit  Revelations  for  1683 
we  find  another  change  to  Sault  de  Sainte  Marie,  very  near  to 
our  civic  and  governmental  usage  of  today,  in  which  the  French 
word  "de"  (of)  is  dropped,  and  the  feminine  "Sainte"  is  ab- 
breviated to    "Ste." 

Baron  La  Hontan  found  this  inverted  name  in  use  when 
he  visited  us  in   1688,  as  the  following  letter  shows: 

"I  set  out  from  Missilmackinac  in  my  Canow  June  2.  And 
after  my  arrival  at  the  Water- fall  call'd  Saut  Sainte  Marie,  I 
persuaded  forty  Young  Warlike  Fellows  to  join  the  Party  of 
the  Outaouas  that  I  mention' d  in  my  last.  This  Saut  Sainte 
Marie  is  a  Cataract,  or  rather  a  Water-fall  of  two  Leagues  in 
length,  which  gives  Vent  to  the  Waters  of  the  upper  Lake, 
and  at  the  Bottom  of  which,  not  far  from  the  Jesuits  House, 
there's  a  village  of  the  Outchipoues,  alias  Sauteurs.  This  Place 
is  a  great  Thoroughfare  for  the  Coureurs  de  Bois  that  trade 
with  the  Northern  People,  who  usually  repair  to  the  Brinks  of 
that  Lake  in  the  Summer.  The  continual  Fogg  that  rises  from 
the  upper  Lake,  and  spreads  over  the  adjacent  Country,  ren- 
ders the  Ground  so  barren,   that  it  bears  no  Corn. 

"The  1  3th  of  the  same  Month  I  set  out  from  the  above- 
mention' d  Village,  being  accompany' d  by  the  forty  young 
Sauteurs,  who  embarqu'd  in  five  Canows,  each  of  which  held 
eight  Men.  The  1  6th  we  arriv'd  at  the  Isle  of  Detour,  where 
my  Soldiers  and  the  Party  of  the  Outaouas  had  tarry'd  for  me 
two  Days.  The  first  day  was  spent  by  the  Outaouas  and  the 
Sauteurs  in  Warlike  Feasts,  Dancing,  and  Singing,  pursuant  to 
their  wonted  Custom:  The  next  Day  we  all  embark'd,  and 
traversing  from  Isle  to  Isle,  made  the  Island  of  Manitoualin 
in  four  Days." 

77 


Were  Good  Warriors 

They  were  going  to  fight  the  Iroquois  in  the  Iroquois 
country,  and  they  gave  a  very  good  account  of  themselves. 
In  another  place,  La  Hontan  mentions  the  Sauteurs  as  "good 
warriors,  speaking  the  Algonkin  language,  and  a  sprightly 
active  sort  of  People." 

The  same  year  the  northern  Chief  Adario,  or  The  Rat, 
of  the  Hurons,  whom  Charlevoix  pronounced  the  ablest  Indian 
the  French  ever  knew  in  America,  prevented  by  a  ruse  the  pro- 
posed truce  between  the  French  and  the  Iroquois.  Secretly 
way-laying  the  ambassadors  of  the  latter  on  their  way  to  make 
peace  with  the  French,  he  killed  some  of  them  and  made  the 
rest  prisoners.  These  he  sent  back  to  their  people,  telling 
them  that  he  had  abused  them  by  order  of  the  French  Gov- 
ernor. In  reprisal,  the  Iroquois  landed  in  the  night  of  the  4th 
of  August,  1  688,  at  La  Chine,  and  inflicted  on  the  French  the 
most  horrible  massacre  in  the  annals  of  Canada.  For  two 
months  the  settlements  along  the  St.  Lawrence  lay  prostrate 
under  the  invaders,  butchery  succeeding  butchery  until  the  re- 
maining French  grew  wild  with  fear.  The  news  spread  far  and 
wide  among  the  Indians  of  the  Upper  Lakes,  and  many  of 
the  northern  tribes  hastened  to  make  peace  with  the  Iroquois, 
sending  messages  with  wampum  and  gifts. 

Sault  de  Sainte  Marie  declined  temporarily  at  the  close  of 
the  century,  losing  a  large  part  of  its  population  to  the  French 
military  post  under  Cadillac  at  Michilimackinac.  The  mission 
at  the  rapids  was  abandoned  by  the  Jesuits,  there  being  left 
but  a  handful  of  Indians  in  the  once  populous  village.  After 
the  death  of  Father  Albanel,  we  find  no  record  of  the  minis- 
trations of  missionary  priests  at  the  Sault  for  a  century  or  more. 


73 


LE  SAULT  DE  SAINTE  MARIE— THE  EIGHTEENTH 

CENTURY 

In  the  early  years  of  the  eighteenth  century,  Le  Sault  de 
Sainte  Marie  fell  upon  evil  days.  This  was  due  to  several 
factors,  the  chief  of  which  was  the  native  fear  of  the  Iroquois 
and  the  English. 

The  Crees  and  the  other  tribes  in  the  rich  fur  country 
north  of  Lake  Superior  came  in  diminishing  numbers  to  the 
Sault  and  to  Montreal  with  their  peltries.  Further  west  the 
tribes  still  delivered  to  the  French  their  vernal  crops  of  furs, 
the  harvest  from  which  new  France  drew  its  sustenance,  but 
the  shining  bales  went  to  Michilimackinac  and  Green  Bay  rath- 
er than  down  to  or  past  the  Sault.  The  northern  Indians  found 
a  more  convenient  and  a  higher  market  at  Hudson's  Bay,  and 
the  English — or  to  be  more  precise,  the  Scotch,  for  the  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company  in  the  field  has  been  pre-eminently  Scotch 
— soon  were  extending  their  outposts  southward  toward  Lake 
Superior.  Wandering  Crees  at  the  Sault  told  the  inhabitants 
there  of  British  forts  at  the  Bay,  with  cannon  on  the  ramparts, 
and  long  racks  gleaming  with  muskets.  The  defenseless  Saul- 
teurs  fell  to  wondering  whether  the  French  King  was  as  omni- 
potent as  he  was  pictured  in  the  allegory  of  Allouez,  and  to 
sighing  for  the  comparative  safety  of  the  forts  at  Michilmack- 
inac  and  De  Troit. 

Likewise  the  overwhelming  sweep  of  the  Iroquois  down 
the  St.  Lawrence  sent  an  apprehensive  thrill  to  the  farthest 
boundaries  of  New  France.  Their  past  incursions  into  the 
North  were  recalled,  and  even  those  Indians  most  loyal  to 
France  felt  their  confidence  shaken.  The  missionaries  came 
no  more  to  the  Sault,  and  Cadillac  at  Michilimackinac  was 
preparing  to  abandon  the  post  and  establish  himself  at  De 
Troit.  Thus  a  triple  combination  of  circumstances  operated 
to  reduce  the  community  at  the  rapids,  so  that  from  a  village 
it  became  a  hamlet,  and  when  Cadillac  went  down  Lake  Huron, 
many  Saulteurs  followed  him. 

The  Liquor  Question 

Cadillac  had  come  to  Michilimackinac  in  1 694  with  high 
hopes  for  the  advance  of  the  French  dominion  in  the  North- 
west. He  found  himself  in  authority  over  one  of  the  largest 
villages  in  Canada,  a  community  of  two  hundred  soldiers,  six 
or  seven  thousand  Indians,  a  Jesuit  mission,  and  a  flourishing 
colony  of  traders.  Soon  he  had  a  serious  falling  out  with  the 
Jesuit  Father  Carheil  over  the  liquor  question.  The  latter  com- 
plained to  Governor  Frontenac  of  the  condition  at  Michilimack- 

79 


inac,  and  what  he  said  might  have  applied  to  the  Sault  as  well: 
"Our  missions  are  reduced  to  such  extremity  that  we  can 
no  longer  maintain  them  against  the  infinity  of  disorder, 
brutality,  violence,  injustice,  impiety,  impurity,  insolence,  scorn 
and  insult  which  the  deplorable  and  infamous  trade  in  brandy 
has  spread  universally  among  the  Indians.  What  hope  can 
we  have  of  bringing  the  Indians  to  Christ,  when  all  the  sinners 
of  the  colony  are  permitted  to  come  here  and  give  Christianity 
the  lie  by  an  open  exhibition  of  bad  morals?" 

He  described  at  length  in  his  letters  to  Frontenac  the 
scandalous  conduct  of  the  officers  and  the  drunkenness  and 
gambling  of  the  soldiers  and  traders,  and  said  the  fort  had 
become  a  place  he  was  ashamed  to  call  by  its  right  name, 
with  swarms  of  Indian  girls  resorting  to  it  daily  and  nightly. 
He  told  Frontenac  that  the  mission  should  not  be  abandoned, 
but  suggested  that  the  officers  and  soldiers  be  withdrawn. 

Cadillac  Defends  Drinking 

Cadillac's  reply  was  more  forceful  than  polite: 
"This  place  is  exposed  to  all  sorts  of  fatigue,  the  air  is 
penetrating,  fish  and  smoked  meats  are  the  principal  food  of 
the  inhabitants,  and  a  drink  of  brandy  is  necessary  after  eating, 
to  cook  the  bilious  meats  and  the  crudities  which  they  leave  in 
the  stomach;  without  it,   sickness  will  be  much  more  frequent. 

He  (Carheil)   told  me  that  I  gave  myself  airs  that  did 

not  belong  to  me,  holding  his  fist  under  my  nose  at  the  same 
time.  I  came  very  near  knocking  his  jaw  out  of  joint." 
The  traders  of  the  time  were  strong  for  brandy: 
"If  you  prevent  us  from  taking  good  brandy  to  Michili- 
mackinac  and  the  Sault,  is  it  that  you  want  the  Indians  to  buy 
bad  rum  from  the  English  and  the  Dutch?  If  you  make  the 
savages  go  south  for  rum  by  cutting  off  their  supply  of  brandy, 
you  will  throw  them  into  the  arms  of  the  Calvinists,  and  it  will 
be  your  fault  if  they  become  heretics." 

About  this  time  Louis  XIV.  issued  an  edict  prohibiting 
liquor  in  all  Canada,  which  of  course  included  the  Sault.  Thus 
our  dry  laws  were  antedated  by  those  of  the  French  upwards 
of  two  hundred  years.  But  the  law  fell  short  of  enforcement, 
and  contraband  liquor  circulated  freely.  An  attempt  was 
made  to  avert  the  scandal  by  the  erection  of  breweries  in  East- 
ern Canada,  and  the  argument  was  advanced  that  "we  may 
expect  the  vice  of  drunkenness  will  cause  us  no  more  reproach, 
by  reason  of  the  cold  nature  of  beer,  the  vapours  whereof 
rarely  deprive  men  of  the  use  of  judgment." 

Blasphemy  to  be  Punished 

The  King  also  drew  the  line  at  blaspheming  by  his  Canadian 
subjects.     Here  is  the  law: 

80 


"William  Halfaday  and  Son  Garit 


uttftfu 


m 


"It  is  our  will  and  pleasure  that  all  persons  convicted  of 
profane  swearing  and  blaspheming  the  name  of  God,  the  Most 
Holy  Being,  of  the  Saints,  be  condemned  to  the  payment  of  a 
fine,  according  to  their  possessions  and  the  enormity  of  the 
oath.  If  the  offense  is  repeated,  a  double,  triple  or  quadruple 
fine  shall  be  imposed  for  the  second,  third  and  fourth  offence; 
for  the  fifth  time  they  shall  be  set  in  the  pillory  and  exposed 
to  public  abuse;  for  the  sixth  time  the  upper  lip  shall  be  seared 
with  a  hot  iron;  for  the  seventh  the  lower  lip  shall  be  cut; 
and  if  they  still  continue  to  utter  oaths  and  blasphemies  it  is 
our  will  and  command  that  they  have  the  tongue  completely 
cut  out,  so  that  they  cannot  utter  them  again." 

Not  all  the  northern  Indians  succumbed  to  the  vices  of  the 
whites  or  were  passive  to  the  reactions  of  the  times.  Here  and 
there  one  lifted  his  voice  in  protest  or  in  doubt  as  to  the  bless- 
ings of  white  civilization.  We  have  record  of  a  conversation 
of  La  Hontan  with  the  northern  Chief  Adario,  The  Rat,  so 
praised  by  Charlevoix,  whose  obscure  stratagems  probably  in- 
fluenced the  destinies  of  the  North  more  than  most  of  us  real- 
ize. Says  the  Rat,  in  commenting  upon  his  eigtheenth  century 
white  brothers,  when  La  Hontan  had  reproached  him  with  lack 
of  knowledge  of  the  true  God: 

Religion  of  the  Indians 

Dost  thou  believe  we  are  void  of  Religion,  after  thou  hast 
dwelt  so  long  amongst  us? Dost  thou  not  know  that  we  acknow- 
ledge a  Creator  of  the  Universe,  under  the  title  of  the  Great 
Spirit  or  Master  of  Life,  whom  we  believe  to  be  in  every  Thing, 
and  to  be  unconfined  to  Limits?  That  the  Great  Spirit  has 
made  us  capable  of  distinguishing  Good  from  Evil,  to  the 
end  that  we  might  observe  the  true  Measures  of  Justice  and 
Wisdom?  The  Tranquility  and  Serenity  of  the  Soul  pleases 
the  Great  Master  of  Life,  and  on  the  other  hand  he  abhors 
Trouble  and  Anxiety  of  Mind  because  it  renders  Men  Wicked. 

"For  my  Part,  the  only  Thing  in  the  World  that  vexes  and 
disturbs  my  Mind,  is  the  seeing  Men  wage  War  with  Men. 
Prithee,  my  Brother,  do  but  look;  our  Dogs  agree  perfectly 
with  the  Iroquois  Dogs,  and  those  of  the  Iroquois  bear  no 
enmity  to  Dogs  that  come  from  France.  I  do  not  know  any 
animal  that  wages  war  with  its  own  Species,  excepting  Man, 
who  upon  this  Score  is  more  unnatural  than  the  Beasts 

"We  believe  that  we  shall  go  to  the  Country  of  Souls  after 
Death;  but  we  have  no  such  Apprehension  as  you  have  of  a 
good  and  bad  mansion  after  this  Life,  provided  for  the  good 
and  bad  Souls;  for  we  cannot  tell  whether  every  Thing  that 
appears  Faulty  to  Men,  is  so  in  the  Eyes  of  God.  If  your 
Religion  differs  from  ours  it  does  not  follow  that  we  have 
none  at  all.     Thou  knowest  that  I  have  been  in  France,   New 

81 


York  and  Quebec,  where  I  studied  the  customs  and  Doctrines 
of  the  English  and  French.  The  Jesuits  allege,  That  out  of 
five  or  six  hundred  Sorts  of  Religions,  there  is  only  one  that  is 
the  good  and  the  true  Religion,  and  that  is  their  own;  out 
of  which  no  Man  shall  escape  the  Flames  of  a  Fire  that  will  burn 
his  Soul  to  all  Eternity.  This  is  their  Allegation:  But  when 
they  have  said  all,  they  cannot  offer  any  proof  for  it. 

Do  Not  Obey  the  Commandments 

"And  why  do  you  not  Obey  the  Commandments  of  this 
your  so  true  Religion?  Do  you  not  see  every  Day  that  your 
Merchants,  when  they  bargain  with  us  for  Beavcr-skins,  do 
commonly  say,  my  Goods  cost  me  so  much,  'tis  true  as  I  adore 
the  Almighty;  I  lose  so  much  by  you,  'tis  as  true  as  that  God 
is  in  Heaven.  But  1  do  not  find  that  they  offer  Him  the  Sacri- 
fice of  their  most  valuable  Goods,  as  we  do  after  we  have 
bought  them  from  them,  when  we  burn  them  before  their 
Faces. 

"And  as  for  working  on  Holy-days,  I  do  not  find  that  you 
make  any  difference  between  Holy-days  and  Work-days;  for 
1  have  frequently  seen  the  French  bargain  for  Skins  on  your 
Holy-days,  as  well  as  make  Nets,  game,  quarrel,  beat  one 
another,  get  drunk,  and  commit  a  hundred  extravagant  Actions. 
As  for  Continence  with  respect  to  the  tender  Sex,  who  is  it 
among  you  (abating  the  Jesuits)  that  has  ever  acted  up  to  it? 
Do  you  not  see  every  day  that  your  Youths  pursue  our  Daugh- 
ters and  our  Wives,  even  to  the  very  Fields,  with  a  design  to 
inveigle  them  to  Presents?  And  dost  thee  not  know  how 
many  such  Adventures  there  are  among  thy  own  Soldiers? 

"To  touch  upon  the  Head  of  Murder,  'tis  such  a  common 
Thing  among  you,  that  upon  the  least  Accident,  you  clap 
your  Hands  to  your  Swords,  and  butcher  one  another.  As  for 
your  Fasts,  I  must  say  they  are  very  Comical;  You  eat  of  all 
sorts  of  Fish  till  you  burst  again;  you  cram  down  Eggs,  and 
a  Thousand  other  Things,  and  yet  you  call  this  Fasting.  In 
fine,  my  Brother,  you  do  a*l  of  you  make  large  Pretensions  to 
Faith,  and  yet  you  are  downright  Infidels;  you  would  fain  pass 
for  wise  People,  and  at  the  same  time  you  are  Fools. 


A  Missionary  for  the  Hurons 

"Since  the  Great  Spirit  is  so  Just  and  so  Good,  I  am  per- 
suaded 'tis  impossible  that  his  Justice  should  render  the  Salva- 
tion of  Mankind  so  difficult,  as  that  All  of  them  shou-d  be 
damn'd  that  are  not  Retainers  to  your  Religion.  The  Great 
Spirit  requires  of  us  all  Uprightness  of  Life,  love  to  our  Breth- 
ern,  and  tranquility  of  Mind;  these  Duties  we  practice  in  our 
Villages  while  the  Europeans  defame,  kill,  rob,  and  pull  one 
another  to  Pieces  in  their  Towns.     My  Friend,  thou  shalt  never 

83 


see  the  good  Country  of  Souls,  unless  thou  turnest  Huron. 
Believe  me,  my  dear  Brother,  'tis  thy  interest  to  turn  Huron,  in 
order  to  prolong  thy  Life.  Thou  shalt  eat,  drink,  sleep  and 
hunt,  with  all  the  Ease  that  Can  be;  thou  shall  be  free  from 
the  Passions  that  tyrannize  over  the  French;  thou  shalt  have 
no  Occasion  for  Gold  or  Silver  to  make  thee  happy;  thou 
shalt  not  fear  Robbers,  Assassins,  or  False  Witnesses;  and  if 
thou  hast  a  Mind  to  be  King  of  all  the  World,  why,  thou  shalt 
have  nothing  to  do  but  think  that  thou  are  so.'* 

Nor  could  all  the  arguments  of  La  Hontan  budge  the  poor 
benighted  old  sinner  an  inch. 

There  has  been  considerable  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
'the  wisdom  of  Cadillac  in  abandoning  the  Mackinac  post.  No 
doubt  the  importance  of  the  position  was  well  understood  by 
the  French,  but  the  soldiers  were  not  available  to  man  it. 
Cadillac's  fort  was  not  on  Mackinac  Island,  but  on  the  St. 
Ignace  shore,  and  the  partially  obliterated  outlines  of  the  old 
earthworks  may  be  seen  there  on  the  hill  back  of  Marquette 
Park.  Both  shores  of  the  Straits  and  the  Fairy  Island  itself 
took  indiscriminately  the  name  of  Michilimackinac,  or  Great 
Turtle. 

In  one  of  his  letters  Cadillac  testifies  to  his  success  in  de- 
populating the  Sault: 

Two  Nations  United 

"The  Saulteurs  and  Missisagues  have  come  here  (to  De- 
Troit)  again  this  year  to  build  a  village  on  this  river.  By  my 
advice  the  two  nations  have  united  into  one.'* 

The  Missisagues  were  natives  of  the  territory  adjacent  to 
the  present  town  of  Thessalon,  Ontario,  on  the  north  shore  of 
Georgian  Bay.  Calling  a  few  dozen  or  a  few  hundred  Indians 
a  "nation"  sounds  rather  queer  to  us,  but  such  was  the  custom 
of  the  time. 

The  fur  traffic  on  St.  Mary's  River,  then,  suffered  heavily 
in  the  first  decades  of  the  century,  falling  to  proportions  great- 
ly exceeded  afterward  and  probably  before  that  time.  Still, 
numbers  of  Frenchmen  must  have  come  to  the  Sault  de  Sainte 
Marie,  some  to  sojourn  a  brief  period,  and  others  to  stay. 

No  other  Europeans  ever  pleased  the  natives  so  well  as 
the  French,  for  the  latter  fell  in  with  Indian  customs  to  a 
degree  never  manifested  by  any  other  foreigners.  While  many 
of  the  voyageurs  and  couriers  de  bois  cou'd  boast  of  no  morals, 
peihaps,  and  were  superstitious  and  illiterate  as  the  Indians 
themselves, — even  inferior  in  mentality  to  the  bold  and  elo- 
quent Northern  Chiefs, — still  they  respected  the  customs  of 
the  Indians,  married  their  daughters  and  reared  large  families; 
and  adapted  themselves  to  Indian  ways  of  thought  in  a  man- 
ner inconceivable  to  the  rigid-minded  English  and  Dutch. 

83 


Capture  British  Cannon 

The  Frenchmen  of  the  region,  though  fewer  in  number, 
were  as  plucky  and  clashing  as  ever.  Although  apparantly 
abandoned  by  Cadillac,  they  resolved  to  strike  a  blow  for 
France.  A  band  of  voyageurs  from  Michilimackinac  and  the 
Sault  made  a  sudden  and  unlooked-for  descent  on  the  British 
Hudson's  Bay  posts  in  the  far  north.  They  burned  and  de- 
stroyed at  will,  and  brought  home  in  triumph  a  number  of 
small  brass  cannon,  which  they  portaged  around  the  falls  here 
and  mounted  in  a  new  fort  on  the  south  side  of  the  Straits  of 
Mackinac.  In  time  these  cannon  came  again  into  possession  of 
the  English. 

The  noted  Father  Charlevoix  visited  this  region  in  1721, 
and  the  account  of  his  voyage  was  published  in  Dublin  in  1  766. 
While  we  cannot  find  that  he  stopped  over  at  Sault  de  Sainte 
Marie,  still  he  has  this  to  say  of  us: 

"Between  Lake  Huron  and  the  upper  Lake  is  the  Streight 
itself,  by  which  the  second  flows  into  the  first,  is  a  Torrent,  or 
Fall,  which  is  called  Saulte  Sainte  Marie,  (the  Fall  of  St.  Mary). 
Its  Environs  were  formery  inhabited  by  Savages  who  came  from 
the  South  Side  of  the  upper  Lake,  whom  they  called  Saulteurs; 
that  is  to  say,  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Fall.  They  have  proba- 
bly given  them  this  name,  to  save  the  trouble  of  pronouncing 
their  true  name;  which  it  is  not  possible  to  do, without  taking 
breath  two  or  three  times.  Many  write  and  pronounce  it 
Outaouaks,  and  some  Pauoirigoueiouhak." 

Only  Few  Chippewas  Here 

When  the  La  Verendryes,  father  and  sons,  came  up  St. 
Mary's  River  in  1731,  bound  for  the  west  on  a  voyage  of 
exploration,  they  found  but  a  few  straggling  Chippewas  at  the 
rapids.  They  made  no  mention  of  any  Frenchmen  living 
there,  but  Williams'  "Life  of  the  Honorable  Peter  White,"  tells 
of  a  Frenchman  named  La  Londe,  who  built  a  schooner  of 
forty  tons  above  the  rapids  about  that  time. 

The  territory  surrounding  Hudson's  Bay  was  ceded  to  the 
British  by  France  in  1713.  The  northern  Indians,  feeling  them- 
selves neglected  by  the  French,  and  observing  the  growing 
might  of  England,  were  gravitating  to  the  latter  power.  How- 
ever, so  advantageous  a  location  as  Le  Saute  de  Sainte  Marie 
could  not  be  given  up  without  a  struggle. 

The  following  instrument,  signed  in  1  750  by  Jonquiere, 
Governor  of  Canada,  and  ratified  the  year  foTlcwing  by  King 
Louis  XV.  of  France,  is  self-exp^natory: 

"The  Chevalier  de  Repentigny  and  Captain  de  Bonne,  offi- 
cers of  the  French  army,  desiring  to  establish  a  seignory  at  Sault 
Sainte  Marie,  where  travellers  from  neighboring  ports  may  find 
safe  retreat,  and  where  by  care  and  precaution,  they  may  de- 

84 


stroy  in  those  parts  the  trade  of  the  Indians  with  the  English, 
we  make  to  the  said  Captain  de  Bonne  and  the  said  Chevalier 
de  Repentigny  a  concession  at  the  Sault  of  a  tract  of  land  at 
the  portage,  six  leagues  bordering  upon  the  river,  by  six  leagues 
in  depth;  to  be  enjoyed  by  them,  their  heirs  and  assigns,  forever, 
by  title  of  fief  and  seignory,  with  the  right  of  fishing  and  hunt- 
ing within  the  whole  of  said  concession,  upon  condition  of  doing 
homage  at  the  Castle  of  St.  Louis  in  Quebec;  and  that  they  may 
hold  said  lands  by  themselves  of  their  tenants,  and  cause  all 
others  to  give  them  up.  In  default  whereof,  the  same  shall  be 
reunited  to  His  Majesty's  domain." 

Largest  Estate  in  Michigan 

This  concession  created  the  largest  private  estate  ever  held 
within  the  present  limits  of  Michigan.  It  comprised  an  area  of 
about  335  square  miles  or  214,000  acres  of  land. 

The  domain  was  administered  by  de  Repentigny,  while 
de  Bonne,  as  silent  partner  and  relative  of  the  Governor,  re- 
mained at  Quebec.  In  addition  to  the  political  phase  involved, 
there  was  an  evident  intention  to  embark  in  agriculture  and 
stock  raising.  De  Repentigny  arrived  at  his  little  kingdom 
here  late  in  1751.  The  following  winter  he  busied  himself 
in  cutting  pickets  and  other  timber  for  a  fort,  which  with  three 
buildings  was  erected  in  1  752.  A  palisade  one  hundred  and 
ten  feet  square  enclosed  these  buildings*.  The  north  face  of 
thi3  palisade,  which  was  probably  twelve  feet  high  all  around, 
was  co-incident  practically  with  the  north  line  of  Water  street. 
The  west  wall  was  about  fifty  feet  east  of  Brady  street. 

The  Chevalier  brought  over  some  live  stock  from  Mackinac, 
a  bull  and  three  cows,  a  yoke  of  oxen,  some  heifers,  a  horse 
and  a  mare,  probably  the  first  horses  and  cattle  in  what  is  now 
Chippewa  County.  Fie  cut  down  all  trees  within  gun-fire  range 
of  the  fort,  and  installed  Jean  Baptiste  Cadotte  as  the  pioneer 
farmer  in  this  region  on  the  clearing  just  outside  the  palisade. 
De  Repentigny  remained  here  most  of  the  time  until  1  755, 
perfecting  his  fortifications,  superintending  the  farming  opera- 
tions, and  trading  with  the  Indians. 

English  Came  in  1762 

The  English  having  attacked  Quebec  in  that  year,  de 
Repentigny  flew  to  the  aid  of  his  countrymen,  taking  with  him 
every  man  that  could  be  spared  from  the  seignory  at  Sault  de 
Sainte  Marie,  white  or  Indian.  The  property  was  left  in 
charge  of  Cadotte,  who  ruled  in  the  name  of  de  Repentigny 
and  de  Bonne  until  the  coming  of  the  English  victors  in  1  762. 
Then  the  ensign  of  France  descended  from  the  flag-staff,  never 
to  float  again  over  Sault  Sainte  Marie. 

We   find   de   Repentigny  at   Montreal   in    1  759,    giving   his 

85 


wife  power  of  attorney  over  his  Sault  demesne  and  the  furs  to 
be  gotten  therefrom.  Canada  was  lost  to  the  French,  and  de 
Repentigny  was  under  the  necessity  of  abandoning  his  fief,  of 
selling  it  if  possible  to  a  British  subject,  or  as  a  final  alternative, 
of  becoming  a  British  subject  himself.  It  is  evidence  of  de 
Repentigny's  high  qualities  that  the  British  Governor  Murray 
wrote  him  in  1  764  with  assurance  of  his  esteem,  and  request., 
ing  his  attachment  to  the  British  cause.  But  the  gallant  French- 
man returned  to  Paris,  where  he  is  seen  in  1  773  asking  ad- 
vancement in  French  military  service,  and  stating  as  grounds 
for  such  desired  preferment  that  "the  cession  of  Canada  has 
overturned  my  fortune,  which  I  could  only  preserve  by  an  oath 
of  fidelity  to  the  new  master,  that  was  too  hard  for  my  heart.'' 
In  proof  of  his  family's  loyalty  to  France,  he  mentions  in  the 
same  letter  that  his  grandfather  was  the  eldest  of  twenty-three 
brothers,  all  of  whom  had  been  in  the  French  military  service. 

So  de  Repentigny  never  returned  to  Sault  de  Sainte  Marie, 
and  Jean  Baptiste  Cadotte  and  his  heirs,  remaining  in  possession 
of  the  clearing  at  the  Rapids,  came  in  time  to  consider  it  as 
theirs.  The  situation  led  to  a  disputed  title  and  a  great  amount 
of  litigation  extending  over  a  long  period  of  years,  the  case 
being  famous  in  Michigan's  legal  history.  A  long  tenure  by 
the  Cadottes  confirmed  them  in  the  idea  of  ownership.  De 
Repentigny's  great-grandchildren  felt  that  their  title,  together 
with  that  of  de  Bonne's  assigns,  should  hold.  With  the  ex- 
penditure of  much  time  and  money  the  two  latter  interests  pro- 
cured in  1 860  an  Act  of  Congress,  authorizing  the  Distirct 
Court  in  Michigan  to  pass  upon  the  validity  of  their  title  as 
against  that  of  the  United  States.  The  District  Court  decided 
in  1861  that  the  heirs  and  assigns  of  de  Repentigny  and  de 
Bonne  were  entitled  to  and  were  the  lawful  owners  of  the  2  1  4,- 
000  acres  of  land  comprising  the  original  seignory.  In  the 
meantime  a  large  part  of  this  acreage  had  come  to  be  very 
valuable. 

Appeal  to  Supreme  Court 

But  the  government  appealed  the  case  to  the  United  States 
Supreme  Court,  and  the  highest  tribunal  decided  in  1866  that 
the  claims  of  these  heirs  were  not  valid,  and  the  bill  was  dis- 
missed. The  decision  rested  on  the  non-fulfillment  of  the 
original  terms  of  the  grant  by  the  French  Government,  the 
lapse  of  time,  the  abandonment  of  the  lands  by  the  grantees, 
the  reunion  of  the  same  to  the  French  crown,  and  the  want 
of  certainty  in  description.  Thus  the  last  claim  to  Michigan 
lands  under  French  occupation  was  not  settled  until  the  close 
of  the  civil  war. 

When  Alexander  Henry,  fur-trader,  adventurer,  and  writer, 
came  to  Sault  de  Sainte  Marie  in  May,  1  762,  he  took  up  his 
residence   with    the    faithful    Cadotte   and    his   wife    in    the   de 

86 


ftepentigny  establishment,  or  "the  old  French  fort/'  as  i    came 
to  be  spoken  of  in  after  days.     Says  Henry: 

"This  fort  is  situated  on  a  beautiful  plain  about  two  miles 
in  circumference,  which  is  covered  with  luxuriant  grass.  Within 
sight  are  the  rapids,  distant  half  a  mile.  The  width  of  the  strait, 
or  river,  is  about  half  a  mile.  The  portage,  or  carry-place, 
commences  at  the  fort.  The  banks  are  rocky  and  allow  only  a 
narrow  footpath  over  them.  Canoes,  half  loaded,  ascend  on 
the  south  side,  and  the  other  half  is  carried  on  men's  shoulders. 

Henry  Describes  Sault  Fishing 

"These  rapids  are  beset  with  rocks  of  the  most  dangerous 
description;  yet  they  are  the  scene  of  a  fishery  in  which  all 
dangers  are  braved  and  mastered  with  singular  expertness. 
They  are  full  of  whitefish,  much  larger  and  more  excellent  than 
those  of  Michilimackinac,  and  which  are  found  here  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  season,  weighing  in  general  from  six  pounds 
tc  fifteen.  This  fishery  is  of  great  moment  to  the  surrounding 
Indians,  whom  it  supplies  with  a  large  proportion  of  their  win- 
ter's provision;  for,  having  taken  the  fish  they  cure  them  by 
drying  in  the  smoke,  and  lay  them  up  in  large  quantities. 

"The  fish  are  often  crowded  together  in  the  water,  in  great 
numbers,  and  a  skilful  fisherman,  in  autumn,  will  take  five 
hundred  in  two  hours. 

"There  is  at  present  a  village  of  Chippewas,  of  fifty  war- 
riors, seated  at  this  place;  but  the  inhabitants  reside  here  dur^ 
ing  the  summer  only,  going  westward  in  the  winter  to  hunt. 
The  village  was  anciently  more  populous." 

So  plentiful  were  the  whitefish  that  a  number  of  canoe  car- 
goes of  them  were  taken  to  Mackinac.  The  latter  had  a  repu- 
tation as  a  fine  fishing-ground,  but  the  Sault  rapids  in  the  old 
days  afforded  the  best  fishing  in  the  world  for  whitefish,  as 
they  do  today  for  rainbow  trout.  What  civilization  has  done 
to  the  once  swarming  whitefish  here  constitutes  a  pitiful  story. 
The  records  of  this  fishery  in  former  times  would  be  almost 
incredible  to  us  were  they  not  so  numerous  and  so  well  auth- 
enticated. 

Lived  on  Hominy 

Henry  was  a  practical  and  an  acute  observer  of  everything 
around  him,  and  his  remarks  on  the  victualling  of  the  French 
voyageurs  are  interesting: 

"The  maize  or  Indian  corn  with  which  the  canoe-men  are 
supplied  is  prepared  for  use  by  boiling  it  in  a  strong  lye,  after 
which  the  husk  is  removed,  and  the  corn  is  mashed  and  dried. 
The  allowance  of  each  man  on  a  voyage  is  a  quart  a  day, 
and  a  bushel,  with  two  pounds  of  prepared  fat,  is  reckoned  to 
be  a  month's  subsistence.      No   other  allowance  is   made,   not 

87 


even  salt,  and  bread  is  never  thought  of.  The  men  neverthe- 
less are  healthy  and  capable  of  performing  their  heavy  labour. 
The  difficulty  which  would  belong  to  an  attempt  to  reconcile 
any  other  men  than  Canadians  to  this  fare,  seems  to  secure  for 
them  and  their  employers  the  monopoly  of  the  fur-trade." 

Corn  $10  a  Bushel 

The  price  of  this  Indian  corn  was  forty  livres  per  bushel, 
or  approximately  ten  dollars.  Money  was  rarely  received  or 
paid  for  commodities,  furs  and  peltries  being  the  medium  of 
exchange.  Beaver-skins  were  worth  a  dollar  apiece,  otters 
three  dollars,  martins  about  a  dollar  and  a  half.  When  Henry 
bought  corn,  he  paid  a  dollar  a  pound  for  the  tallow  he  mixed 
with  it.  A  quarter  of  beef  cost  its  weight  in  beaver-skins. 
"These  high  prices  of  grain  and  beef,"  says  Henry,  "led  me 
to  be  very  industrious  in  fishing." 

Henry  arranged  to  spend  the  winter  at  the  Sault  and  to 
study  the  Chippewa  language  with  the  Cadottes,  but  a  serious 
misfortune  changed  his  plans.  Shortly  before  Christmas  a  fire 
at  night  destroyed  the  houses  of  the  little  village  excepting 
that  of  Cadotte.  A  portion  of  the  fort  stockade  was  also  burn- 
ed, with  all  the  winter  provisions  of  the  troops.  Lieutenant 
Jemette,  first  English  Commandant  at  the  post,  barely  escaped 
with  his  life. 

The  river  was  still  open,  and  the  troops  embarked  for 
Mackinac,  for  to  stay  in  numbers  meant  starvation  for  all. 
Henry  and  Jemette  snow-shoed  down  to  Mackinac  in  February, 
but  Henry  soon  returned,  and  in  the  spring  he  engaged  in 
maple-sugar  making  with  the  Cadottes.  This  sugar  was  the 
principal  food  of  their  party  of  eight  for  one  month,  and  dur- 
ing that  time  they  ate  three  hundred  pounds  of  it.  Henry  tells 
us  he  had  known  Indians  to  live  wholly  and  to  become  fat  upon 
exclusive  rations  of  maple  sugar  and  syrup  over  long  periods. 

70  Soldiers  Massacred 

Henry  had  business  interests  at  Mackinac,  and  he  found 
it  necessary  to  go  there  in  the  spring  of  1  763.  He  passed 
unscathed  through  the  massacre  there  in  June  of  the  English 
by  the  Indians.  This  was  in  the  mainland  fort  on  the  south 
shore  of  the  straits,  on  the  site  of  which  a  Michigan  State  Park 
is  now  located.  Under  the  leadership  of  the  Saulteur  Chief 
Minavavana,  who  acted  in  concert  with  Pontiac  to  wipe  out 
if  possible  the  English  in  New  France,  the  Chippewas  sur^ 
prised  and  killed  seventy  soldiers,  among  them  Lieutenant 
Jemette,  and  took  the  rest  prisoners. 

The  casual  dream  of  another  Chippewa  Chief,  by  name 
Wawatam,  was  the  means  of  saving  Henry's  life  on  this  oc- 
casion.     Wawatam  had  dreamed  long  before  of  adopting  an 


Englishman  as  his  brother.  When  he  first  beheld  Henry,  he 
knew  the  latter  for  the  person  whom  the  Great  Spirit  had 
been  pleased  to  point  out  to  him  as  his  white  kinsman.  They 
had  exchanged  presents,  and  Henry  had  expressed  pleasure 
and  declared  his  willingness  to  have  so  good  a  man  as  Wa- 
watam  for  his  brother.  It  was  a  lucky  dream  for  Henry.  An 
Indian  slave-woman  secreted  him  in  a  garret  on  that  terrible 
day,  and  his  brother  Wawatam  spirited  him  away  from  the 
vicinity  as  soon  as  possible.  When  Henry  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  vengeful  Minavavana,  Wawatam  delivered  him  by  an 
impassioned  and  eloquent  speech  in  council. 
Read  his  peroration: 

The  Power  of  a  Dream 

"Friends  and  brothers,  what  shall  I  say?  You  know  how  I 
feel.  What  would  you  experience  if  you  beheld  your  dearest 
friend,  your  brother,  in  the  condition  of  a  slave,  exposed  to 
insult  and  the  menace  of  death?  Is  he  not  my  brother,  and  as 
I  am  your  relative,  is  he  not  your  relative  also?  Did  not  you, 
Minavavana,  promise  that  you  would  protect  him,  although 
you  sent  me  away,  fearing  I  would  reveal  your  secret?  Here 
am  I,  Great  Chief,  to  claim  at  your  hands;  coming  not  with 
empty  hands  myself,  but  with  gifts  to  annul  any  possible  claim 
you  may  have  on  my  brother  as  your  prisoner.  I  await  your 
answer." 

This  speech  appears  the  more  remarkable  when  we  con- 
sider the  circumstances  under  which  it  was  delivered.  It  was 
stated  and  believed  in  this  council  that  all  the  Indians,  the 
Ottawas  alone  excepted,  were  at  war  with  the  English.  It  was 
affirmed  and  accepted  that  Pontiac  had  taken  Detroit,  that 
the  King  of  France  had  awakened,  and  that  the  English  were 
meeting  destruction,  not  only  at  Mackinac  but  in  every  other 
parts  of  the  world.  Wawatam  proved  what  a  realistic  thing 
a  dream  may  be  to  an  Indian,  when  he  stood  up  for  his  English 
brother  on  this  occasion. 

The  unerring  pipes  were  smoked,  and  Henry  was  delivered 
unharmed  to  Wawatam  by  the  council.  The  latter  took  Henry 
to  Mackinac  Island  and  hid  him  in  Skull  Cave,  and  later  they 
spent  the  winter  in  hunting  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan. 
In  the  spring  they  returned  to  the  Straits  and  the  last  object 
to  greet  the  Englishman's  eye  as  he  sailed  away  for  the  Sault 
was  the  Indian  Wawatam,  standing  on  the  beach  with  his  arms 
uplifted  to  the  sky,  praying  Gitchi  Manito  to  spare  and  bless 
his  friend  and  to  bring  them  again  to  a  happy  meeting. 

Wawatam  a  Cannibal 

The  day  after  Wawatam  rescued  Henry  from  his  enemies 
by  this  effective  speech,  he  ate  the  hand  and  a  large  piece  of 

89 


flesh  of  a  white  man.  "He  did  not  appear  to  relish  the  re- 
past," says  Henry,  "but  told  me  that  it  was  then  and  always 
had  been  the  custom  among  all  the  Indian  nations,  when  re- 
turning from  war  or  on  overcoming  their  enemies,  to  make  a 
war-feast  from  among  the  slain.  This,  he  said,  inspired  the 
warrior  with  courage  in  attack  and  bred  him  to  meet  death 
with  fearlessness.'' 

The  memory  of  this  remarkable,  generous,  savage,  para- 
doxical and  enigmatic  Chippewa  Indian  has  been  kept  green 
by  the  christening  for  him  of  the  giant  car-ferry  Chief  Wawatam, 
which  plies  the  waters  of  the  Straits  of  Mackinac  so  often  trav- 
ersed by  his  canoe. 

Henry  returned  to  the  Sault  and  planned  to  settle  down 
with  the  Cadottes.  Hostilities  were  still  lively,  however,  and  a 
band  of  Indians  from  Mackinac,  thirsting  for  his  life,  pursued 
him  up  the  river.  Again  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  seek  the 
seclusion  of  a  garret,  while  Jean  Cadotte  enlisted  the  assurance 
of  the  Saulteurs  that  they  would  not  permit  Henry  to  be 
harmed.  The  incoming  Indians  agreed  to  let  him  alone,  but 
insisted  upon  taking  the  warriors  of  the  village  with  them  to 
join  the  forces  of  Pontiac. 

This  called  for  a  council,  and  while  it  was  deliberating,  an 
Indian  embassy  from  Sir  William  Johnson  arrived  at  the  vil- 
lage, summoning  the  tribes  to  meet  him  at  Niagara.  The 
strangers  seated  themselves  in  the  assembly  and  a  long  silence 
ensued.  Then  one  of  them,  taking  up  a  belt  of  wampun,  ad- 
dressed the  council  as  follows: 


An  Invitation 

"My  friends  and  brothers,  I  am  come  with  this  belt  from  our 
great  father,  Sir  William  Johnson.  He  desired  me  to  come  to 
you  as  his  ambassador,  and  to  tell  you  that  he  is  making  a 
great  feast  at  Fort  Niagara;  that  his  kettles  are  all  ready  and 
his  fires  lit.  He  invites  you  to  partake  of  the  feast  in  common 
with  your  friends  the  Six  Nations  which  have  all  made  peace 
with  the  English.  He  advises  you  to  seize  this  opportunity  of 
doing  the  same,  as  otherwise  you  cannot  fail  of  being  destroyed. 
For  the  English  are  on  the  march  with  a  great  army,  which  will 
be  joined  by  different  nations  of  Indians.  In  a  word,  before 
the  fall  of  the  leaf,  they  will  be  at  Michilimackinac  and  the  Six 
Nations  with  them." 

This  invitation  seemed  to  call  for  more  than  human  de- 
cision. The  Great  Turtle  of  the  Chippewas  must  be  invoked. 
For  the  purpose  a  large  birch-bark  wigwam  was  constructed  on 
the  shore  of  the  river,  and  in  the  center  a  tent  was  raised,  its 
poles  being  of  strong  timber  eight  inches  in  diameter  which 
were  closely  covered  with  moose-hides.  The  wigwam  was  big 

90 


enough   to   accommodate   the   population    of   the   village,    and 
nearly  everybody  in  the  Sault  was  there. 

When  night  came  the  whites  and  Indians  crowded  in,  and 
fires  were  built  around  the  tent  within  the  wigwam.  Presently 
the  jcssakeed  or  midi,  the  Indian  medicine-man,  came  and 
ciawled  into  the  tent.  His  head  was  scarcely  inside  when  the 
tent  heavy  and  solid  as  it  was  with  its  timbers  deeply  ground- 
ed, began  to  shake  violently.  The  sounds  of  many  voices  were 
heard  beneath  the  skins;  some  yelling,  some  barking  like  dogs 
and  howling  like  wolves,  and  in  this  horrible  concert  were 
mingled  screams  and  sobs,  as  of  despair  and  anguish  and  the 
sharpest  pain. 

The  Great  Turtle  Is  Heard 

These  confused  and  frightful  noises  gave  way  to  silence. 
Then  a  low  and  feeble  voice  was  heard,  and  the  Indians  recog- 
nized with  joy  the  tones  of  the  Great  Turtle.  A  succession  of 
chants  followed,  in  a  diversity  of  voices,  after  which  the  midi 
announced  that  the  Great  Turtle  was  present  and  was  ready 
to  answer  any  questions. 

The  village  Chief,  placing  some  kinnikinnick  within  the 
tent,  inquired  whether  the  English  were  making  war  upon  the 
Indians,  and  whether  there  were  many  English  troops  at 
Niagara.  The  midi  put  these  questions  to  the  Great  Turtle 
whereupon  the  tent  heaved  convulsively  and  a  terrific  cry  an- 
nounced the  departure  of  the  spirit.  Across  Lake  Huron  he 
fiew  to  Fort  Niagara  at  the  Head  of  Lake  Ontario.  Here,  he 
told  the  assemblage  on  his  return,  he  saw  no  great  numbers 
of  soldiers,  but  on  continuing  down  the  waterway  to  Montreal, 
he  found  the  river  covered  with  boats,  and  the  boats  filled 
with  soldiers  in  numbers  like  the  leaves  of  the  trees.  They 
were  coming,  said  the  supernatural  voice,  to  make  war  upon 
the  Saulteur  Indians.  There  was  a  great  sensation,  and  the 
wigwam  thrilled  at  this. 

The  Chief  then  asked  if  the  Saulteur  Indians  would  be  re- 
ceived as  friends  if  they  visited  Sir  William. 

"Yes,"  said  the  spirit,  "he  will  fill  your  canoes  with  pres- 
ents with  blankets,  kettles,  guns,  gun-powder  and  shot  and 
large  barrels  of  rum,  such  as  the  stoutest  of  the  Indians  will  not 
be  able  to  lift.     And  every  man  will  return  safely  to  his  family." 

The  feeling  of  apprehension  in  the  crowd  gave  way  to 
transports  of  joy  at  this.  Amid  the  clapping  of  hands  a  hun- 
dred Indians  shouted,  "I  will  go,  too!  I  will  go,  too!'' 

At  this  exciting  moment,  the  usually  level-headed  Henry 
lost  his  judgment:     Says  he: 

"These  questions  of  public  interest  being  catisfactorily 
answered,  individuals  were  now  permitted  to  seize  the  op- 
portunity of  inquiring  into  the  condition  of  their  absent  friends, 
and  the  fate  of  such  as  were  sick.     I  observed  that  the  answers 

91 


given  to  the  questions  allowed  of  much  latitude  of  interpreta- 
tion. 

More  Tobacco  Is  Given 

*'Amid  the  general  inquisitiveness,  I  yielded  to  the  solicita- 
tions of  my  own  anxiety  for  the  future;  and  having  first,  like  the 
rest,  made  my  offering  of  tobacco  I  inquired  whether  or  not  I 
should  ever  revisit  my  native  country?  The  question  being  put  by 
ever  revisit  my  native  country?  The  question  being  put  by 
the  priest,  the  tent  shook  as  usual;  after  which  I  received  this 
answer:  That  I  should  take  courage  and  fear  no  danger,  for 
nothing  would  happen  to  hurt  me;  and  that  I  should  in  the  end 
reach  my  friends  and  country  in  safety.  These  assurances 
wrought  so  strongly  on  my  gratitude  that  I  presented  an  addi- 
tional offering   of  tobacco. 

"The  Great  Turtle  continued  to  be  consulted  till  near  mid- 
night, when  all  the  crowd  dispersed  to  their  lodges.  Through 
the  scene  I  have  described,  I  was  on  the  watch  to  detect  the 
particular  contrivances  by  which  the  fraud  was  carried  on. 
But  such  was  the  skill  displayed  in  the  performance,  or  such 
my  deficiency  of  penetration,  that  I  made  no  discoveries,  but 
came  away  as  I  went,  with  no  more  than  those  general  sur- 
mises which  will  naturally  be  entertained  by  every  reader." 

Thus  closes  Henry's  capital  account  of  the  Chippewa  In- 
dian magic  practiced  by  their  midis,  jossakeeds  and  wabenos 
in  the  Sault  of  old.  If  the  midi  should  come  back  and  set  his 
tent  up  again  on  its  Water  Street  site,  he  would  play  of  course 
to  an  empty  house.  No  one  in  the  Sault  ever  thinks  of  get- 
ting his  or  her  fortune  told  now.  For  we  are  civilized.  Yes_ 
indeed. 

The  Saulteur  Chippewas  sent  a  delegation  to  Niagara  and 
Henry  went  with  them.  They  canoed  across  Georgian  Bay 
and  portaged  to  Lakes  Simcoe  and  Ontario,  thus  avoiding 
the  enemy  country  down  Lake  Huron.  One  day  when  landing 
for  dinner  on  an  island  in  the  North  Channel  of  Georgian 
Bay,  Henry  was  about  to  kill  a  rattlesnake  he  found  there,  but 
the  Indians,  horrified,  prevented  him.  Surrounding  it,  they 
addressed  it  with  great  respect.  They  filled  their  pipes  and 
gently  blew  smoke  upon  the  creature,  which  received  it  with 
evident  pleasure.  After  enjoying  the  incense  for  half  an  hour, 
it  crawled  away  in  safety,  while  the  Indians  besought  their 
"grandfather,"  as  they  called  it  to  take  care  of  their  families 
during  their  absence,  and  to  open  the  heart  of  Sir  William 
Johnson  so  that  he  might  be  good  to  them  and  fill  their  canoes 
with  rum. 

Henry  Nearly  Sacrificed 

Next  day  a  storm  arose  as  they  were  crossing  the  Bay. 
The  Indians,  convinced  that  Henry  had  angered  their  Ginebig 


Manito,  or  Snake  Spirit,  proposed  that  he  be  thrown  over- 
board to  appease  the  wrath  of  the  diety.  However,  by  dint 
of  the  sacrifice  of  two  dogs  and  a  quantity  of  kinnikinnick 
tossed  into  the  lake,  and  through  fervent  prayers  to  the  snake, 
the  storm  abated. 

The  Indians  were  cordially  received  at  Fort  Niagara  by 
Johnson,  as  the  Great  Turtle  had  foretold,  but  we  have  no 
record  of  his  filling  their  canoes  with  rum.  Henry  returned 
to  Mackinac  and  found  that  his  clerks  and  his  goods  had  dis- 
appeared. Jean  Baptiste  Cadotte,  however,  at  the  Sault,  was 
friendly,  and  the  two  became  partners  in  the  fur  trade. 

Explored  Michipicoten  Region 

Henry  secured  exclusive  trading  rights  in  the  Lake  Su- 
perior territory,  and  wintered  at  the  Sault  for  several  years. 
He  explored  the  Michipicoten  region,  prospected  for  copper 
in  the  Keweenaw  Peninsula,  and  penetrated  into  the  heart 
of  Assiniboia.  He  described  that  enormous  nugget  of  pure 
copper  which  lay  from  prehistoric  times  on  the  bank  of  the 
Ontonagon  River,  and  which  you  may  see  now  in  the  Smithson- 
ian Institution  at  Washington.  He  secured  a  mining  charter 
from  England  and  built  an  ore  furnace  above  the  Sault  at 
Point  aux  Pins.  He  visited  the  grave  of  Manibosho  at  Thunder 
Bay  Point.  He  built  a  barge  at  Point  aux  Pins  large  enough 
to  navigate  Lake  Superior  in  safety,  and  thus  was  the  owner 
of  the  first  shipyard  above  the  rapids. 

Henry's  account  of  his  travels,  now  unfortunately  all  too 
rare,  is  written  in  a  straightforward  and  lucid  style  that  smacks 
of  truthfulness.  Parkman  did  not  hesitate  to  draw  freely  on 
Henry  for  sections  of  his  "Conspiracy  of  Pontiac."  Years 
after  his  adventures  in  the  North  Country,  Henry  became  a 
wealthy  merchant  in  Montreal,  and  he  died  there  at  a  ripe 
old   age. 

Jean  Baptiste  Cadotte  was  the  son  of  that  Cadieux  who 
came  with  St.  Lusson  to  the  Sault  in  1671.  He  was  a  merchant 
voyageur,  and  at  the  time  of  his  appointment  by  de  Repen- 
tigny  at  the  old  Frencji  Fort  he  held  almost  a  monopoly  of 
the  fur  trade  in  the  Chippewa  villages  of  Lake  Superior.  He 
took  to  wife  the  daughter  of  a  Saulteur  Chief,  being  married 
first  with  the  native  ceremonies  and  afterward  in  the  mis- 
sionary chapel  at  the  Sault.  He  died  at  the  Sault  in  1803  and 
was  buried  there.  His  two  sons,  Jean  and  Michel  were  notable 
characters  in  the  fur  trade  in  the  days  of  the  North  West 
Company.  Both  married  Indian  wives  and  left  many  descend- 
ants who  are  scattered  over  the  western  states  and  Canada. 

Fort  Is  Found  Here 

The  stockade  or  fort   on  the  south  side  of  the  Straits  of 

93 


Mackinac,  the  site  of  which  is  marked  by  a  handsome  monu- 
ment, was  held  and  used  by  French  traders  for  about  a  year 
after  the  massacre.  Then  it  was  taken  over  by  the  British 
troops.  Captain  Jonathan  Carver  of  the  British  Army  came 
up  St.  Mary's  River  in  1  766  and  found  de  Repentigny's  fort, 
presumably  repaired  from  the  ravages  of  fire,  at  the  foot 
of  the  rapids,  with  Jean  Cadotte  in  charge.  Cadotte  had 
shown  his  friendliness  to  the  English,  and  the  latter  evidently 
did  not  mean  to  disturb  him.  And  besides,  he  was  Henry's 
partner. 

Carver's  book  is  remembered  for  its  famous  Indian  snake- 
story  among  other  things,  and  this  story  may  bear  repeating 
here. 

A  northern  Indian  having  captured  a  rattlesnake,  found 
means  to  tame  it.  Thereafter  he  treated  it  as  a  Manito,  calling 
it  his  Great  Father  and  taking  it  with  him  in  a  box  wherever 
he  went.  Once  he  was  met  by  a  Frenchman  as  he  was  setting 
off  for  his  winter's  hunt.  The  Frenchman  was  surprised  to  see 
the  Indian  place  on  the  ground  the  box  which  contained  his 
god,  open  the  little  door  and  give  the  snake  its  freedom; 
adminishing  it  to  be  sure  and  return  the  following  May,  as 
he  would  be  there  to  welcome  it. 

The  Snake  Returns 

This  happened  in  October,  and  the  Frenchman  opined  that 
the  Indian  would  have  to  wait  a  long,  long  time  for  the  arrival 
of  his  Great  Father.  However,  the  Indian  was  so  confident  of 
the  creature's  return  that  he  offered  to  wager  Monsieur  two 
gallons  of  rum  that  the  snake  would  come  at  the  time  ap- 
pointed and  crawl  into  the  box.  The  Frenchman  agreed  to 
this,  and  in  the  second  week  in  May  both  were  there  to  see 
the  outcome,  or  rather  the  income.  The  Indian  placed  the 
box  on  the  ground  and  called  loudly  for  his  father,  but  the 
snake  heard  him  not.  He  had  lost  the  bet,  and  he  acknow- 
ledged it. 

But  he  was  not  discouraged,  and  he  offered  to  double  the 
forfeit  if  the  missing  god  did  not  come  within  two  days  from 
that  time.  The  offer  was  promptly  taken  up;  but  sacre  bleu! 
at  one  o'clock  on  the  second  day  the  snake  arrived  and 
crawled  into  the  box,  cheerily  wagging  its  tail  in  its  joy  at  get- 
ting home  again.  And  the  Frenchman  had  to  pay  the  poor, 
guileless  Indian  four  gallons  of  rum. 

Jonathan  Carver  was  seeking  the  passage  to  China  when 
he  came  to  this  region,  that  passage  the  discovery  of  which 
had  eluded  Champlain,  Nicolet,  and  so  many  other  French- 
men. "Those  who  are  so  fortunate  as  to  succeed  in  finding 
this  passage,"  says  Carver,  "will  reap  emoluments  beyond 
their  most  sanguine   expectations.      Perhaps  they  may  bestow 

94 


some  commendations  and  blessings  on  the  person  who  first 
pointed  out  the  way.  These,  though  but  a  shadowy  recom- 
pense for  all  my  toil,  I  shall  receive  with  pleasure." 

Standing  here  by  the  rapids  and  wondering  what  became 
of  all  the  mighty  waters  of  Lake  Superior,  Carver  made  the 
following  entry  in  his  journal: 

"Though  Lake  Superior  is  supplied  by  nearly  three  hundred 
rivers,  many  of  which  are  considerable  ones,  yet  it  does  not 
appear  that  one-tenth  part  of  the  waters  which  are  conveyed 
into  it  by  these  rivers  are  carried  off  at  its  evacuations.  How 
such  a  superabundance  can  be  disposed  of,  as  it  must  be  by 
some  means  or  other,  without  which  the  circumference  of  the 
lake  would  be  constantly  enlarging,  I  know  not.'* 

He  concluded,  as  more  than  one  geologist  has  since,  that 
much  of  the  water  in  Superior  seeps  away  through  subterranean 
caverns. 

A  Curious  Deed 

Sixty-seven  years  after  it  was  given,  the  heirs  of  Carver 
filed  in  the  Court  House  on  Mackinac  Island  the  following 
curious  deed,  which  is  evidence  of  the  progress  the  British 
were  making  with  the  Northern  Indians. 

Naudowessie  Chiefs 

to  Record  B,  Folio  96 

Jonathan  Carver  et  al. 

Received  for  record  July   16,    1833. 

To  Jonathan  Carver,  a  Chief  under  the  most  mighty  and 
potent  George  the  Third,  King  of  the  English  and  other 
Nations,  the  fame  of  whose  courageous  warriors  has  reached 
our  ears  and  has  been  more  fully  told  us  by  our  good  brother 
Jonathan  aforesaid,  whom  we  rejoice  to  see  come  among  us  and 
bring  us  good  news  from  his  country. 

We,  Chiefs  of  the  Naudowessies  (Sioux),  who  have  hereto 
set  our  seals,  do  by  these  presents,  for  ourselves  and  our  heirs 
forever,  in  return  for  the  many  presents  and  other  good  ser- 
vices done  by  the  said  Jonathan  to  ourselves  and  our  allies, 
give,  grant  and  convey  to  him,  the  said  Jonathan,  and  to  his 
heirs  and  assigns  forever,  the  whole  of  a  certain  tract  or  ter- 
ritory of  land,  bounded  as  follows,  viz. : 

From  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  running  on  the  east  bank 
of  the  Mississippi  River  nearly  southward  as  far  as  the  south- 
east of  Lake  Pepin,  where  the  Chippewa  River  joins  the 
Mississippi;  and  from  thence  eastward  five  days  travel,  ac- 
counting twenty  English  miles  per  day;  and  from  thence  north 
six  days  travel  at  twenty  English  miles  per  day;  and  from 
thence  again  to  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony  in  a  direct  straight  line. 

We  do  for  ourselves,   heirs  and  assigns   forever,   give  unto 

95 


the  said  Jonathan,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  all  the  said  land,  with 
all  the  trees,  rocks  and  rivers  therein,  reserving  for  ourselves 
and  heirs  the  sole  liberty  of  hunting  and  fishing  on  lands  not 
planted  and  improved  by  the  said  Jonathan  Carver,  his  heirs 
and  assigns. 

To  which  we  have  affixed  our  respective  seals  at  the  Great 
Cave,  May  the  First,  One  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and  Sixty- 
Seven. 

(signed )  HAWNOPAWJATIN 

his  X  mark 
Chief,  Of  The  Turtle  Totem 
OTCHTONGOOMLISHCAW 
his  X  mark 
Chief,  Of  The  Rattlesnake  Totem. 

Part  of  the  land  conveyed  in  this  deed  is  occupied  now  by 
the  city  of  St.  Paul. 

Jonathan  was  the  first  great  English-American  explorer. 
He  is  forgotten  now,  but  he  was  a  great  traveler  in  his  day. 
He  tramped  and  canoed  over  seven  thousand  miles  in  the 
Northwest  in  his  longing  to  reach  the  Pacific,  a  distance  scarcely 
exceeded  by  Stanley  and  Livingston  in  their  African  explora- 
tions. He  returned  to  New  York  with  invaluable  charts  and 
papers.  He  went  to  London,  where  he  was  refused  permis- 
sion to  publish  the  book  of  his  travels,  and  he  died  there, 
starved  and  heart-broken. 

Less  than  ten  years  after  the  Mississippi  River  Sioux  Chiefs 
had  signed  over  to  Carver  a  part  of  their  domain, — a  gift  of 
no  use  to  him,  it  appears, — the  Sioux,  Menominees,  Ottawas, 
Chippewas  and  other  northern  tribes  were  fighting  on  the  side 
of  the  British  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  The  conflict  caused 
scarcely  a  ripple  in  far  away  Le  Sault  de  Sainte  Marie,  but 
probably  some  of  the  Saulteur  Chippewas  joined  the  fray.  For 
fighting  was  the  natural  way  of  life  to  the  old  Saulteurs:  the 
war-path  was  a  familiar  and  a  shining  avenue  to  them. 


But  British  Held  on  in  U.  P. 

The  war  being  over,  the  Treaty  of  Paris  in  1  783  ceded 
all  the  lands  in  this  vicinity  south  of  the  Great  Lakes,  to  the 
LJnited  States.  But  the  British  did  not  immediately  surrender 
possession  of  that  part  of  the  Upper  Peninsula  which  they  held, 
and  their  ascendancy  continued  for  several  years.  They  mad< 
annual  presents  to  the  Indians  in  this  locality,  and  nursed  and 
profited  by  the  fur  trade  which  was  coming  into  its  own  again. 

The  British  at  Hudson's  Bay  and  at  New  York,  and  th< 
Americans  after  them  at  the  latter  place,  probably  always  wer< 
hampered  to  some  extent  by  the  lack  of  skilled  voyageurs. 
Not  so  with  the  Canadians  trading  out  of  Montreal  and  Quebec 

96 


through  Le  Sault  de  Sainte  Marie.  At  their  call  were  the 
French-Canadians,  thoroughly  Indian-wise,  and  the  best  canoe 
and  woods-men  in  the  world.  Thomas  Curry  was  the  first 
Canadian  trader  to  penetrate  through  this  region  to  the  Sas- 
katchewan River  and  its  furry  paradise.  James  Finlay  fol- 
owed,  and  so  did  the  Frobisher  brothers  and  Alexander  Henry. 
Henry  had  a  specific  license  to  traffic  in  these  territories,  the 
others  were  free-traders  under  the  rapidly  changing  conditions 
of  the  times. 

Established  Regular  Routes 

These  men  established  regular  routes  of  travel  converging 
on  Le  Sault  de  Sainte  Marie,  and  thence  via  the  Ottawa  River 
to  Montreal.  Thousands  of  the  peltries  came  from  territory 
hitherto  occupied  solely  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  They 
found  mutual  advantage  through  informal  co-operation  for  a 
time,  and  eventually  with  others  they  formed  the  famous 
North  West  Company,  which  became  a  formidable  rival  of 
the  giant  concern  to  the  northward.  Henry  disposed  of  his 
trading  privileges  to  this  Company,  but  continued  to  be  a 
member  of  the  firm  until  nearly  the  close  of  the  century.  In 
his  time  as  a  fur-trader  he  had  engaged  dozens  of  young  men 
as  clerks  and  had  advised  and  assisted  dozens  more.  Among 
these  was  John  Jacob  Astor  of  New  York.. 

The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  had  prospered  in  the  north- 
ern wilds.  It  never  was  the  policy  of  the  Company  to  write 
history,  or  to  publish  its  transactions  to  the  world.  The  yearly 
supply-ships  slipped  quietly  into  the  Straits,  and  as  quietly 
departed  for  the  London  market  with  fur  cargoes  of  fabulous 
values.  Dividends  of  twenty-five  and  fifty  per  cent  were  com- 
mon, and  stock  dividends  of  three  hundred  per  cent  were  not 
unknown.  The  Company  had  things  all  its  own  way  until  the 
organization  of  the  North  West  Company,  and  the  great  suc- 
cess of  the  latter  was  largely  due  to  its  French-Canadian  field 
personnel. 

With  the  advent  of  the  Northwest  Company  things  began 
to  hum  along  St.  Mary's  River.  The  main  office  of  the  Com- 
pany was  in  Montreal,  its  assembling  point  in  the  north  was  at 
Grand  Portage,  near  the  present  site  of  Fort  William,  and  all 
its  up-bound  field  supplies  and  down-bound  peltries  were 
portaged  around  the  rapids  here.  The  warehouses  and  offices 
of  the  Company  were  located  on  the  south  side  of  the  river, 
and  the  portage  as  well  was  on  the  south  bank  of  the  rapids. 

Lock  Constructed  in  1797 

Afterward,  when  occupation  by  American  troops  seemed 
imminent,   the  Company  moved   over  to   the  north   side,    into 

97 


British  territory,  and  constructed  a  canal  and  lock,  and  a  saw- 
mill.    This  was  in   1797. 

So  there  were  a  canal  and  a  lock  and  a  water-power  mill 
at  the  Falls  of  Sainte  Marie  in  the  times  of  George  Washington. 
This  is  rather  a  surprising  statement  to  those  of  us  who  casually 
picture  white  men's  commercial  activities  as  having  been  con- 
fined to  the  Atlantic  seaboard  in  the  lifetime  of  our  first 
President.      Its  correctness,   however,   is  beyond  all  dispute. 

The  canal  was  about  half  a  mile  in  length,  the  lock  thirty- 
eight  feet  long  and  eight  feet  nine  inches  wide.  Canoes  and 
batteaux  were  raised  or  lowered  nine  feet  in  this  lock,  the 
south  gate  of  which  was  single  and  windlass-operated,  the 
north  gates  folding  double.  A  storehouse  sixty  by  sixty  feet 
in  size  was  erected  at  the  head  of  the  canal,  another  store- 
house about  forty  feet  in  length  was  built  below  it,  and  a 
water-power  saw-mill  with  two  saws  was  built  alongside  the 
lock  and  parallel  with  it. 

This  canal,  of  course,  enabled  laden  canoes  and  other  small 
craft  to  ascend  to  or  descend  from  Lake  Superior  without  un- 
loading or  portaging.  It  is  true  the  lift  was  only  nine  feet, 
but  the  difference  between  that  and  the  twenty  feet  or  more 
fall  of  the  rapids  was  overcome  by  the  ox-haul  of  the  vessels 
from  the  lock  to  the  head  of  the  canal.  There  is  little  evidence 
that  the  canal  was  extensively  used,  and  hardly  any  mention 
is  made  of  it  in  the  Canadian  records  after  the  end  of  the  cen- 
tury. 

John  Johnston  Gains  Success 

Deserted  by  the  North  West  Company,  the  village  of  Le 
Sault  de  Sainte  Marie  made  rather  slow  headway.  De  Repen- 
tigny's  fort  had  disappeared,  and  while  the  Indian  village  was 
fairly  populous  in  the  summer  whitefishing  season,  the  winters 
found  the  red  inhabitants  scattered  in  the  yearly  hunt  for  furs 
and  food.  Of  the  few  white  traders  residing  there  who  did 
not  affiliate  with  the  North  West  Company  or  its  offshoot, 
the  X  Y  Company,  one  gained  conspicuous  success  and  the 
control  of  the  fur  trade  along  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Su- 
perior and  vicinity.  This  was  the  celebrated  John  Johnston, 
commemorated  by  his  son-in-law  Schoolcraft  in  various  works, 
and  by  Judge  Charles  H.  Chapman  in  his  monograph,  "The 
Historic  Johnston  Family." 


98 


SAULT  STE.  MARIE— THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

In  the  year  1800  the  value  of  beaver  skins  belonging  to 
the  North  West  Company  alone,  and  brought  out  through  the 
Sault,  was  over  a  million  dollars.  In  that  year  the  Company 
employed  thirty-five  guides,  fifty  clerks,  seventy  interpreters 
and  eleven  hundred  canoe-men.  This  force  collected  and  for- 
warded around  the  rapids  here  over  one  hundred  thousand 
beaver  skins,  thirty  thousand  martin,  seventeen  thousand 
muskrat,  six  thousand  fox,  two  thousand  bear  and  the  same 
number  of  deer-skins,  six  thousand  lynx,  nearly  five  thousand 
otter,  two  thousand  mink,  four  thousand  wolf,  seven  hundred 
elk  and  five  hundred  buffalo  robes. 

To  this  enormous  total  must  be  added  the  Company's 
smaller  peltries,  and  those  of  the  X  Y  Company  and  the  in- 
dependent traders.  Truly,  the  fur  trade  in  those  days  was 
everything.  For  several  years  the  North  West  Company 
brought  down  more  furs  through  the  Sault  than  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company  exported  directly  through  the  Straits. 

Wild  fur-bearing  animal  life  now  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Sault 
is  fast  going  the  way  of  the  whitefish.  The  skins  enumerated 
above  would  be  worth  at  today's  valuations  over  three  million 
dollars.  It  is  doubtful  if  the  two  Saults  will  handle  this  year 
much  over  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  worth  of  peltries. 
The  killing  of  beaver  is  forbidden  in  Michigan,  and  unless 
some  action  is  taken  in  Ontario,  the  beaver  will  soon  be  prac- 
tically extinct  there.  Aside  from  the  beaver-skins  collected 
in  Algoma,  muskrat,  fox,  mink  and  skunk  provide  the  bulk 
of  the  present  limited  receipts  in  this  locality.  Many  of  the 
fur-bearers  are  nearing  extirpation,  and  recourse  must  be  had 
to  captive  rearing  if  the  supply  of  fur  is  to  continue. 

One  hundred  and  twenty-five  years  ago,  the  North  West 
Company  was  well-nigh  supreme  here.  Its  posts  dotted  the 
country  around  Lake  Superior,  each  post  had  its  quota  of  In- 
dians, and  each  Indian's  hunting-grounds  were  marked  out  for 
him.  At  the  beginning  of  the  season,  his  credit  was  allotted 
to  him  in  Company  currency  or  tokens.  This  was  placed  in  his 
box  at  the  Company  store,  and  the  Indian  was  given  the  key 
to  the  box.  When  he  left  for  the  hunt  the  key  remained  with 
his  wife  or  relatives,  and  the  tokens  covering  their  purchases 
from  time  to  time  were  taken  from  the  box  and  counted  by 
the  clerk  or  factor  in  their  presence. 

Beaver  Skins  Were  Cheap 

On  the  hunter's  return  a  yearly  settlement  was  made.  He 
turned  in  furs  to  the  amount  of  his  credit.     If  he  wanted  a  gun, 


he  piled  skins  on  the  floor  to  the  height  of  the  upright  weapon 
in  exchange.  The  muskets  in  those  days  were  made  with  very 
long  barrels.  If  he  poached  on  another  hunters  territory  or 
did  business  with  one  of  the  free-traders,  he  obtained  no  more 
credit  and  was  listed  at  the  other  posts.  Thereby  he  found 
his  usefulness  in  that  locality  at  an  end.  By  the  exercise  of 
industry  and  strict  honesty,  he  eked  out  a  living,  while  his 
merchandise,  won  through  winters  of  toil  and  privation,  en- 
riched its  buyers  in  the  markets  of  Europe.  Beaver  especially 
was  wanted,  for  well-to-do  folk  in  the  old  country  would  have 
hats  of  nothing  else. 

The  prime  requisites  of  the  Indian  hunter,  in  exchange  for 
his  furs,  were  guns,  powder,  bullets  and  traps.  He  might  be 
without  a  coat  to  his  back  or  shoes  to  his  feet,  but  these  were 
indispensable.  Blankets,  bright-colored  clothing,  knives  and 
hatchets  made  close  seconds.  Cooking  utensils  and  other 
articles  of  household  hardware  stood  near  the  top  of  the  In- 
dian's want-list  and  comprised  a  large  part  of  the  Company 
store-keepers'  stock.  Many  a  canoeful  of  whisky  was  unloaded 
at  the  Sault  and  dispensed  to  the  Indians  at  ruinous  prices,  and 
with  ruinous  results.  If  you  know  how  many  beaver-skins  it 
takes,  piled  flat  and  pounded  down,  to  level  up  to  the  muzzle 
of  an  extra  long,  five  dollar  musket  standing  upright,  you  can 
get  some  idea  of  the  profits  in  the  fur  business  here  when  Sault 
Ste.  Marie  was  young. 

The  North  West  Company  flourished  and  waxed  great  in 
the  Lake  Superior  country.  Many  and  bloody  were  the  bat- 
tles of  its  men  with  those  of  the  Gregory-Mackenzie  Company 
and  the  X  Ys,  rival  concerns  which  it  finally  absorbed.  We 
find  the  X  Y  Company  warehousing  its  goods  on  the  Ameri- 
can side  of  the  rapids  in  1  803,  the  North  West  Company  hav- 
ing pre-empted  every  location  suitable  for  that  purpose  on  the 
north  bank.  Two  years  later  the  adversaries  became  one 
under  the  North  West  name.  The  best  talent  in  both  con- 
cerns pushed  the  business  forward  with  spirit  and  enterprise, 
everywhere  encouraging  the  trade  of  Canada  with  the  great 
Northwest  and  opening  posts  at  various  places  in  the  territory. 
The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  took  over  the  Nor' westers  on 
favorable  terms  to  the  latter  in  1  82  1 ,  and  the  northern  woods 
and  streams  ceased  to  be  the  battlegrounds  of  the  rivals  in 
Montreal  and  London. 


Michigan  Territory  Is  Formed 

In  the  meantime  Virginia  and  Massachusetts  had  relin- 
quished whatever  claims  they  had  to  the  Northwest  Territory 
of  which  we  were  part.  Indiana  Territory  had  been  organized, 
including  the  eastern  part  of  what  is  now  the  Michigan  Upper 
Peninsula,  and  in   1805  Michigan  Territory  was  formed. 

100 


John  Johnston 

It  is  hard  to  think  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  at  the  beginning  or 
the  last  century  without  recalling  the  name  of  John  Johnston. 
Johnston's  romantic  career,  powers  of  intellect,  and  generous 
hospitality  made  him  famous  throughout  a  great  stretch  of 
country,  and  he  has  been  featured  by  many  writers  in  their  ac- 
counts of  this  locality. 

He  was  born  near  Coleraine,  in  Antrim  County,  Ireland,  in 
1763,  and  came  to  Canada  in  1792.  Being  attracted  by  the 
possibilities  of  the  fur  trade,  he  soon  joined  a  party  bound  for 
Lake  Superior.  Tarrying  at  the  Sault  for  a  space,  he  journey- 
ed up  the  lake  to  La  Pointe,  where  he  established  a  trading 
post  and  made  the  acquaintance  of  Wab-ojeeg  and  his  hand- 
some daughter  O-shah-gush-ko-do-no-qua,  whom  her  children 
afterward  knew  as  Neengai,  the  girl  whom  he  was  to  marry  the 
following  year. 

Waub-ojeeg  was  the  most  famed  of  the  Chippewas  in  the 
north  country  and  was  the  son  of  the  celebrated  Mongazid,  in 
whose  arms  Montcalm  died  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham.  In 
courage  and  craft  he  was  the  true  exemplar  of  a  warlike  race. 
Once,  when  Mongazid  was  hunting  with  his  men  near  an  en- 
campment of  the  Sioux,  the  latter  attacked  and  surprised 
the  sleeping  Chippewas  at  early  dawn.  Mongazid  rushed  out, 
and  shouting  his  name,  asked  if  Wabash,  his  mother's  son  by  a 
Sioux  Chief  was  among  the  enemy.  Thereupon  the  tall  figure 
of  his  half-brother  approached  with  hand  outstretched  in  token 
of  peace. 


Was  a  Warrior  at  Eight 

Hostilities  were  suspended  and  Wabash  was  invited  into 
Mongazid's  wigwam,  but  at  the  moment  of  entrance  he  was 
saluted  with  a  lusty  blow  from  the  stout  war  club  of  young 
Waub-ojeeg,  then  a  boy  of  eight.  The  uncle,  delighted  with 
this  display  of  spirit,  took  Waub-ojeeg  in  his  arms  and  prayed 
Gitchi  Manito  to  make  him  a  sturdy  man  and  a  great  warrior. 
This  prayer  Waub-ojeeg  fulfilled. 

When  he  came  to  the  chieftancy  he  made  his  home  at  La 
Pointe.  His  wigwam  was  sixty  feet  in  length  and  it  was  sur- 
mounted by  the  carved  figure  of  an  owl,  the  insignia  of  his 
clan,  his  power,  and  his  presence,  the  emblem  being  taken  down 
when  he  was  absent  in  war  or  during  the  hunting  season. 

War  with  the  Sioux  and  the  Ottawas  employed  his  time  so 
that  he  did  not  marry  until  he  was  thirty  years  of  age.  Then 
a  widow  became  his  wife  and  bore  him  two  sons.  Becoming 
tired  of  the  widow,  he  exercised  the  prerogative  of  a  Chippewa 
and  a  Chief  and  married  a  girl  of  fourteen  who  became  the 
mother  of  six  children,  of  whom  Neengai  was  the  eldest. 

Here  the  young  fur-trader  Johnston  met  the  Chief's  daugh- 

101 


ter,   and  he  promptly  fell  in  love  with  her.      When  he  asked 
Waub-ojeeg  for  her  hand  the  Chief  replied: 

"White  man,  your  customs  are  not  our  customs.  You 
desire  our  women,  you  take  them,  and  when  they  cease  to 
please  your  fancy  you  say  they  are  not  your  wives,  and  you 
forsake  them.  Go  back  to  Montreal  with  your  load  of  furs, 
and  if  the  pale-face  girls  do  not  put  my  daughter  out  of  your 
head,  come  here  in  the  spring  and  we  will  talk  further.  You 
are  both  young,  and  she  can  wait." 

But  Johnston  Came  Back 

The  young  Irishman  was  impetuous  with  his  arguments,  his 
presents,  his  entreaties.  They  were  in  vain,  Waub-ojeeg  was 
unswerving.  Johnston  went  down  to  Montreal  for  a  lonesome 
winter,  returned  in  the  spring  and  took  the  maid  to  wife.  Waub- 
ojeeg  made  the  bridegroom  swear  that  he  would  marry  her  ac- 
cording to  the  law  of  the  white  man,  until  death. 

Mrs.  Jameson  has  recorded  for  us  in  her  "Winter  Studies 
and  Summer  Rambles"  the  story  of  this  marriage.  On  being 
escorted  by  her  people  to  the  bridegroom's  lodge,  Neengai  fled 
into  a  dark  corner,  rolled  herself  in  a  blanket  and  refused  to 
speak  or  be  spoken  to,  or  even  looked  upon.  Johnston  was 
more  than  considerate,  and  during  the  ten  days  she  remained 
in  his  lodge  he  sought  by  every  gentle  means  to  revive  her 
confidence  and  affection.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  however, 
she  ran  away  to  the  woods  in  a  sudden  access  of  fear  and  terror, 
and  reached  her  grandfather's  wigwam  after  a  four  day  fast. 

Meanwhile  Waub-ojeeg,  at  his  distant  hunting-ground,  had 
a  premonition  that  all  was  not  well  with  his  daughter.  Return- 
ing home  suddenly  he  found  the  truant,  gave  her  a  sound  thrash- 
ing with  a  stick  and  threatened  to  cut  off  her  ears.  Then 
he  took  her  back  to  her  husband  with  a  a  thousand  apologies, 
assuring  Johnston  of  his  fatherly  disapproval  of  her  actions. 
Johnston  soon  succeeded  in  taming  this  wild  fawn  of  the  woods, 
and  brought  her  from  La  Pointe  down  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

iLived  36  Years  Happily  Married 

Even  here  she  could  not  overcome  at  once  her  shyness  with 
the  white  man,  and  her  longing  was  strong  to  see  her  own  peo- 
ple again.  So  her  husband  provided  her  with  a  schooner  and 
a  crew  and  sent  her  to  her  former  home  with  Waub-ojeeg  at 
La  Pointe.  A  short  stay  there  convinced  her  that  the  whites' 
mode  of  living  was  the  better,  and  the  intense  desire  came  to 
rejoin  her  mate.  She  returned  to  the  Sault  and  lived  there 
happily  thirty-six  years  with  her  white  husband,  becoming  the 
mother  of  four  boys  and  four  girls. 

Mr.  Johnston  has  been  described  as  a  vigorous  and  hand- 
some man  before  age  and   infirmities  came  upon  him,   lively 

102 


and  jovial,  and  of  excellent  education.  He  acquired  a  com- 
fortable fortune  in  the  fur  trade,  and  lost  a  good  deal  of  it  in 
the  war  of  1812.  His  talents,  good  nature,  wide  acquaintance, 
and  his  marriage  with  Chief  Waub-ojeeg's  daughter,  brought 
him  great  influence  in  old  Sault  Ste.  Marie  and  its  vicinity. 

His  wife  became  a  Christian,  and  her  energy  and  strength 
of  mind,  as  well  as  her  descent  from  the  ancient  family  of 
Waub-ojeeg,  the  White  Fisher,  endeared  her  to  the  northern 
Indians.  Like  her  father  she  possessed  poetical  talent,  and 
many  of  the  Chippewa  Indian  legends  and  traditions  which  we 
now  enjoy  have  come  down  to  us  through  her,  having  been 
translated  by  her  daughters. 

Jane,  the  eldest  daughter  of  this  couple,  married  Henry  R. 
Schoolcraft,  noted  author  and  historian.  Her  Indian  name  was 
O-bah-bahm-wah-wah-ge-zhe-go-qua,  meaning  "the  sound  the 
stars  make,  rushing  through  the  sky."  Before  her  marriage  she 
visited  Ireland  and  England  with  her  father,  and  her  beauty 
and  accomplishments  made  a  great  impression  there.  Her 
sister  Charlotte,  described  by  Colonel  McKenney  in  his  "Tour 
to  the  Lakes,"  as  a  surpassingly  beautiful  woman,  became  the 
wife  of  the  Reverend  Mr.  MacMurray,  who  came  to  the  Sault 
as  an  Episcopal  missionary  in  1832.  The  youngest  daughter, 
Anna,  married  James  Schoolcraft,  brother  of  Henry,  at  the 
Sault.      Eliza,   the  remaining  daughter,  never  married. 

The  oldest  son,  Louis,  was  aboard  one  of  the  British  ships 
captured  by  Commodore  Perry  on  Lake  Erie  in  1813.  George 
became  a  soldier  in  the  British  army.  William  and  John  were 
interpreters  in  the  United  States  Indian  Service;  the  latter  acting 
in  that  capactiy  for  his  brother-in-law,  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft, 
Indian  Agent  at  Sauit  Ste.  Marie. 

Many  travelers  have  recorded  the  generous  hospitality  of 
the  Johnston  homestead  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie  in  the  old  days  and 
the  ability  of  its  master  as  an  entertainer.  Part  cf  the  Johnston 
home,  which  was  erected  about  1815,  is  still  standing,  the  most 
interesting  landmark  of  the  Sault  of  a  century  ago.  At  the 
time  it  was  built,  the  house  was  one  of  the  finest  in  the  whole 
north  country.  The  government  road  reaching  westward  to 
Fort  Brady  was  afterward  constructed  directly  in  front  of  it.  The 
house  faced  the  river,  and  a  short  lane  from  the  front  door  led 
to  a  dock,  which  extended  some  distance  into  the  stream. 
Over  this  dock  came  General  Cass  in  1820,  to  haul  down  the 
British  flag,  and  after  him  came  the  federal  troops  in    1822. 

To  the  west  of  his  home  Johnston  built  his  warehouse  and 
a  carpenter  shop.  A  little  to  the  northeastward,  and  closer  to 
the  river,  there  stood  his  store,  another  warehouse,  and  a  bunk- 
house  for  his  men.  Behind  his  home  there  was  a  beautiful 
old-fashioned  garden,  luxuriant  each  summer  with  roses  and 
lilacs.  Alongside  it  was  his  fur  press,  a  little  to  the  westward 
his  blacksmith  shop,  and  near    that    was    the    home    cf    Mrs. 

103 


Cadotte,  on  the  site  of  the  old  French  fort.  In  the  rear  of 
these  stood  the  old  Jesuit  cemetery.  The  river  bank  to  the 
west  of  the  Johnston  home  was  an  Indian  camping  ground, 
while  to  the  east  it  afforded  pasture  for  his  sheep.  Directly 
east  of  his  home  Johnston  built  his  wine  cellar,  milk  and  ice 
house  and  barns. 

Back  of  his  garden  Johnston  laid  out  in  1816  the  first 
street  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  which  we  know  as  Water  Street  or 
Park  Place.  This  street  extended  but  a  few  hundred  feet  west 
from  the  lot  on  which  his  home  was  built,  and  this  extension 
was  intersected  a  few  years  later  by  the  palisade  of  Fort  Brady. 
South  of  this  street  lay  the  unfenced  commons. 

Was  Hospitable  to  All 

Here  Johnston  lived  with  his  family  from  about  1815  until 
1828,  dispensing  a  cheery  hospitality  to  all  who  came,  buying 
and  selling  furs  and  other  merchandise,  doctoring  any  ailing 
whites  or  Indians  with  simple  remedies,  often  bleeding  them 
after  the  fashion  of  the  times.  The  kind  and  practical 
benevolence  of  the  daughter  of  Waub-ojeeg  matched  his  own. 
No  tale  of  poverty  or  bad  luck  went  unheeded.  Johnston  was 
the  friend,  confidant  and  patriarch  of  all  in  this  broad  demesne. 

Though  he  lived  on  the  frontier  he  maintained  contact  with 
the  world  outside.  His  house  was  filled  with  books  and  current 
publications.  He  brought  from  his  former  home  in  Ireland 
many  of  the  comforts  of  civilization.  Massive-framed  portraits 
on  the  walls,  and  the  many  foreign  articles  about  the  rooms, 
aroused  great  wonder  and  admiration  in  the  minds  of  the  In- 
dians who  viewed  them. 

This  was  of  course  after  the  war  of  1812,  in  which  Johnston 
and  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  suffered  some  unpleasant  experiences. 
The  British,  having  lost  Mackinac  Island  by  treaty  after  the 
Revolutionary  War,  had  established  about  1  796  a  small  mili- 
tary post  on  St.  Joseph* s  Island,  just  below  Lime  Island  on  St. 
Mary's  River.  On  the  announcement  of  hostilities,  John  John- 
ston, although  he  appears  to  have  been  Collector  of  the  port 
for  the  U.  S.  Goverment  at  the  time,  raised,  equipped  and 
provisioned  a  company  of  white  and  Indian  militia  here,  and 
placed  himself  under  the  orders  of  the  British  commandant 
at  Fort  St.  Joseph. 

Americans  Surrender 

Captain  Roberts  was  in  charge  at  St.  Joseph  when  he  re- 
ceived orders  from  General  Brock  to  attack  the  American  posi- 
tion on  Mackinac  Island  without  delay.  About  one  thousand 
whites  and  Indians,  John  Johnston  among  them,  proceeded 
down  the  river  in  July,  1812,  debarked  at  British  Landing  in 
the  rear  of  the  fort,  and  planted  their  cannon  on  the  heights, 

104 


in   a   position   to   rake   the  block-houses   and    the   town.      The 
little  garrison  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Hanks  surrendered. 

Two  years  later  a  fleet  of  seven  American  vessels  with 
seven  hundred  soldiers  came  up  Lake  Huron  to  attack  the 
British  at  Mackinac.  The  British  commandant  sent  to  Sault 
Ste.  Marie  for  help,  and  Johnston  and  his  Saulteurs  again  re- 
sponded via  the  river  route,  taking  the  short  cut  through  West 
Neebish. 

Fort  St.  Joseph  Destroyed 

Meanwhile  a  detachment  of  American  troops  ascended  the 
old  channel  east  of  Sugar  Island,  burned  the  North  West  Com- 
pany's storehouses  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  in  all 
probability  destroyed  the  Company's  canal  and  lock.  When 
these  were  unearthed  many  years  later,  the  remains  were  in  a 
badly  wrecked  condition.  The  troops  also  grounded  the 
schooner  Perseverance  in  the  rapids  and  confiscated  a  large 
quantity  of  merchandise  of  John  Johnston  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river.     Fort  St.  Joseph  was  destroyed  about  the  same  time. 

Johnston  afterward  petitioned  the  British  Government  to 
reimburse  him  for  his  losses.  He  stated  in  this  petition  that 
he  had  been  present  at  and  had  assisted  in  the  capture  of 
Michalimackinac,  that  he  had  commanded  the  fort  there  in  the 
absence  of  its  Lieutenant,  and  that  he  had  sustained  heavy 
damages  at  the  Sault  by  the  act  of  United  States  troops.  His 
petition  was  denied,  and  a  later  memorial  to  the  United  States 
Government  asking  for  restitution  met  with  no  better  success. 

The  North  West  Company  also  made  claim  on  the  British 
treasury  for  its  losses  inflicted  by  Major  Holmes'  troops 
Its  petition  does  not  specifically  mention  the  destroyed  canal 
and  lock,  but  there  is  little  doubt  they  were  demolished  in 
Holmes's  raid.  All  trace  of  them  was  lost  and  later  genera- 
tions had  forgotten  their  existence,  until  an  old  record  of  them 
came  to  the  notice  of  Judge  Joseph  Steere  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
Mich.  Together  with  Mr.  E.  S.  Wheeler  and  Mr.  Joseph 
Cozzens  he  searched  out  the  location  and  discovered  unmis- 
takably the  tiny  lock,  but  a  short  distance  from  the  great  ship- 
lock  built  by  the  Canadian  Government  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
Ontario.  The  rubbish  was  removed  from  it  and  the  lock-form 
reconstructed  in  stone,  and  many  visitors  now  view  it  yearly. 

Great  Flotilla  Bearing  Furs 

Had  Holmes  raided  the  Saults  a  few  days  later,  it  is  likely 
he  would  have  taken  one  of  the  richest  prizes  of  the  war. 
Shortly  after  he  left  the  rapids  to  rejoin  his  command,  a  flotilla 
of  canoes  carrying  a  million  dollars  worth  of  furs  came  down 
from  Superior  and   passed   safely  through   to   Montreal. 

105 


John  Jacob  Astor,  who  came  to  this  country  from  Germany 
via  England  in  1  783,  was  a  leader  in  the  northern  fur  trade. 
It  is  said  that  his  first  experience  in  the  business  was  with 
Alexander  Henry  as  a  clerk,  and  he  soon  was  out  buying  furs 
on  his  own  account.  The  old  stories  tell  us  that  it  was  his 
custom  to  entertain  the  Indians  with  his  flute  before  talking 
business  with  them,  and  that  the  flute  made  many  friends  for 
him  in  his  quest  for  merchandise.  There  has  circulated  re- 
cently in  the  country's  periodicals  a  curious  and  circumstantial 
story  that  John  Jacob  Astor  was  the  discoverer  of  a  pirate 
hoard  secreted  by  Captain  Kidd  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  and 
that  this  find  was  the  foundation  of  his  fortune.  At  the  be- 
ginning of  the  century  he  was  worth  several  hundred  thousand 
dollars  and  was  the  richest  merchant  in  New  York  City. 


Organized  American  Fur  Co. 

Astor  organized  the  American  Fur  Company  in  New  York 
in  1 808.  Its  central  assembling  point  for  peltries  and  sup- 
plies was  at  Mackinac  Island,  and  finding  the  Mackinaw  Fur 
company  in  his  way  there,  he  purchased  it  from  its  English 
owners  in  1811.  The  war  of  1812  seriously  hampered  his 
operations,  but  after  the  Treaty  of  Ghent  the  Company  pros- 
pered wonderfully,  and  many  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  furs 
from  the  Upper  Peninsula,  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota  territory 
were  assembled,  sorted  and  shipped  at  Mackinac.  About  1815 
the  American  Fur  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  employed  four 
hundred  clerks  at  Mackinac  Island  alone,  besides  two  thousand 
trappers  and  voyageurs. 

The  wise  and  patriotic  efforts  of  John  Jacob  Astor  in 
bringing  about  a  better  understanding  between  the  American 
Government  and  the  Indian  tribes  of  the  Northwest,  have  never 
been  fully  appreciated.  His  trading  post  for  the  Lake  Superior 
country  was  here  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and  here  as  well  as  else- 
where his  officials  and  employes  endeavored  to  treat  the  led 
men  with  fairness  and  justice.  Due  largely  to  the  friendly 
feelings  engendered  by  the  Company,  it  was  not  very  long  be- 
fore whatever  sympathy  the  Saulteur  Indians  retained  for  the 
British  cause  had  disappeared.  The  potent  influence  of  Astor 
at  all  times  worked  for  the  progress  of  desirable  emigration  into 
the  Northwest,  and  the  upholding  of  the  flag  and  the  govern- 
ment. 

Astor' s  expedition  to  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia  River  in 
1811  resulted  in  a  loss  to  him,  but  it  was  of  advantage  to  the 
United  States  in  establishing  later  the  Union's  claim  to  Oregon 
and  our  present  northern  boundary. 

1106 


Crooks  Succeeds  Astor 

Ramsay  Crooks,  a  wonderful  Scotchman  who  penetrated 
to  the  Pacific  coast  with  one  of  Astor's  expeditions,  was  agent 
for  the  American  Fur  Company  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  or  St. 
Mary's  Falls,  as  he  called  it,  for  many  years.  He  succeeded  to 
the  presidency  of  the  Company  after  Astor's  retirement. 

In  the  old  records  of  the  American  Fur  Company  at  the 
John  Jacob  Astor  House  on  Mackinac  Island,  are  many  copies 
of  letters  written  by  Ramsay  Crooks  while  he  was  agent  of  the 
Company  here.  Crooks  often  has  been  cited  as  an  exemplar  of 
the  fine  art  of  letter-writing  as  practiced  a  century  ago.  One 
instance  may  be  given  here,  illustrative  of  approved  business 
form  in  bygone  times  by  a  master  of  the  pen,  and  which  is 
reminiscent  of  the  eternal  liquor  question* 

St.  Mary's  Falls,  3rd  August,   1819. 
Mr.  Goodrich  Warner, 

Ance. 
Sir — It  is  with  no  ordinary  surprise  and  pain  i  Fearn  how  very 
improperly  you  conducted  yourself  on  the  voyage  from  Mack- 
inac to  this  place,   and  whilst  here. 

I  had  hoped  your  good  sense  would  have  told  you  to 
pursue  a  very  different  course,  particularly  as  I  had  at  Mack- 
inac been  reluctantly  compelled  to  express  to  you  in  very  plain 
terms  my  abhorrence  of  your  propensity  to  drunkenness,  and 
my  determination  not  to  retain  in  the  employ  of  the  Company 
any  person  who,  lost  to  the  true  feelings  of  a  gentleman,  took 
every  opportunity  to  degrade  himself  to  the  level  of  the  brute 
creation.  You  have  now  attained  too  ripe  an  age  for  the  follies 
and  indiscretions  of  youth  to  be  pleaded  in  extenuation  of 
your  shocking  attachment  to  intemperance,  and  you  must 
clearly  understand  that,  added  to  the  detestation  I  personally 
feel  for  such  profligate  practices,  my  duty  to  the  Company  as  its 
Agent  will  not  permit  me  to  continue  in  its  service  any  one 
whose  habits  disqualify  him  for  executing  with  fidelity  the  trust 
reposed  in  him. 

An  Ultimatum 

You  have  pledged  the  faith  or  an  honest  man  to  consult 
the  interest  of  the  Company  at  all  times  and  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, and  to  devote  your  whole  time  and  attention  to 
the  faithful  discharge  of  the  duties  of  your  station.  How  far 
or  how  well  you  have  heretofore  kept  your  engagements  I 
will  leave  your  own  conscience  to  answer.  Your  conduct  puts 
it  in  my  power  to  refuse  paying  you  a  single  dollar  for  the  last 
year's  services,  yet  I  did  not  scruple  to  account  for  your  salary 
as  if  you  had  been  a  good  and  upright  servant. 

Your  behavior  more  than  once  authorized  my  denying  you 

107 


access  to  the  Company's  table,  for  you  were  not  fit  to  be 
seen  with  gentlemen,  yet  I  palliated  and  overlooked  your 
deviation  from  strict  propriety.  The  veil  is,  however,  at  last 
torn  from  my  eyes,  and  you  now  stand  before  me  in  all  the 
deformity  of  an  ill  spent  life.  I  request  you  to  understand 
distinctly  that  unless  you  give  unquestionable  proofs  of  a  total 
reformation,  and  furnish  proper  grounds  to  believe  you  have 
altogether  abandoned  every  improper  habit,  I  cannot  and  most 
assuredly  will  not  consent  ever  to  meet  you  again  as  a  gentle- 
man and  an  honest  man. 

In  fact,  you  must  convince  me  beyond  the  possibility  of  a 
doubt  that  you  possess  sufficient  firmness  to  resist  the  allure- 
ments of  vice  in  any  shape,  and  will  for  the  future  be  exemplary 
in  the  practice  of  virtue,  else  you  may  rest  assured  that  how- 
ever painful  it  may  be,  it  will  nevertheless  become  an  impera- 
tive duty  to  hold  you  up  as  an  example  to  other  young  men 
who  might  be  disposed  to  follow  your  devious  course,  and  by 
discharging  you  with  every  mark  of  ignominy  from  the  Com- 
pany's service,  leave  you  to  the  indulgence  of  your  vicious  pro- 
pensities with  the  wicked  and  profligate,  an  outcast  from  society 
a  dishonor  to  your  family,  and  a  disgrace  to  human  nature. 
But  if  you  will  listen  to  my  warning  voice,  give  up  your  per- 
nicious habits,  and  become  in  reality  a  gentleman,  1  will  for- 
give and  forget  your  past  sins,  meet  you  in  the  spirit  of  cor- 
diality, and  treat  you  according  to  your  merits  as  a  man  and 
your  ability  as  a  trader. 

Mr.  Halliday  will  in  all  cases  instruct  you  in  your  duty 
to  the  Company  and  you  will  govern  yourself  accordingly. 
He  will  I  am  sure  impart  to  you  with  pleasure  a  knowledge  of 
your  calling,  provided  you  behave  as  becomes  you,  and  it  will 
depend  wholly  on  your  future  industry  whether  I  shall  hence- 
forward consider  you  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  Company, 
or  regret  that  I  ever  had  the  misfortune  to  meet  you.  I  am, 
sir, 

Yours,   &c, 

RAMSAY  CROOKS, 

Agent  American   Fur  Co. 

Some  wag  has  written  at  the  head  of  the  copy  of  this 
letter  the  words  "Nota  bene,"   (Mark  well!) 

The  Modern  Way 

No  history  of  the  Sault  discloses  whether  the  convivial  Mr. 
Warner  heeded  this  ponderous  and  solemn  warning.  Let  us 
hope  he  did. 

We  do  these  things  much  better  nowadays.  The  modern 
captain  of  industry  would   put  it  thus, — by  wire: 

"Cut  out  the  booze  or  off  goes  your  head  I" 

In   the  early  days  of  the  fur  industry  muskrat  skins  were 

108 


worth  little  or  nothing.  About  the  time  of  Mr.  Crook's  letter, 
however,  we  find  Robert  Stuart,  another  officer  of  the  Com- 
pany, offering  John  Johnston  and  Charles  Ermatinger  at  the 
Sault  thirty-five  cents  each  for  muskrat  skins.  He  mentions  that 
he  has  offered  this  high  figure  "not  for  any  hope  of  getting  but 
little  advance  on  them,  but  merely  for  the  purpose  of  having 
control  over  the  market." 

Charles  Ermatinger  was  an  independent  trader  in  furs  and 
other  merchandise  in  the  Canadian  Sault  at  this  time,  occupy- 
ing much  the  same  position  relatively  that  John  Johnston  did 
on  the  American  side.  He  was  the  son  of  a  Swiss  merchant 
who  had  settled  originally  in  New  England,  but  who  had  taken 
up  his  residence  in  Canada  after  Wolfe's  victory.  Mr.  Erma- 
tinger built  a  substantial  stone  house  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river  and  accumulated  a  fortune  in  trade.  He  was  the  friend 
of  Schoolcraft,  who  mentions  him  often,  and  was  the  father 
of  two  sons  who  located  in  the  American  Sault. 

British  Put  Fort  on  Drummond 

The  government  of  Great  Britain,  having  taken  and  lost 
Mackinac  Island  in  the  war  of  1812,  cast  about  for  another 
vantage  point  in  the  vicinity  whereon  to  erect  a  fort.  The 
north  shore  of  the  rapids  at  the  Sault  was  considered,  and  was 
found  to  be  rocky,  low  and  swampy,  and  under  the  pos- 
sible domination  of  American  artillery.  It  was  deemed 
likely  that  the  Americans  would  claim  St.  Joseph's  Island,  so 
in  1815  a  British  fort  was  established  at  the  mouth  of  St. 
Mary's  River  on  an  island  called  by  the  Indians  Pontanagan- 
nippi,  or  Pontanagannissi.  It  was  renamed  Drummond's  Island 
by  the  British,  in  honor  of  General  Sir  Gordon  Drummond, 
commander  of  the  lake  district,  but  the  Indian  name  has  been 
preserved  in  the  adjacent  and  altogether  lovely  Potagannissing 
Bay.  One  meaning  given  to  this  name  is  "the  place  of  beauti- 
ful islands.**  The  stolid  Saulteur  Chippewas  were  given  but 
little  to  the  contemplation  of  the  beautiful,  but  such  is  the 
loveliness  of  the  region  that  even  an  Indian  might  be  pardoned 
for  growing  ecstatic  over  it.  The  matter-of-fact  British  Army 
reports  speak  of  the  location  as  beautiful  and  picturesque,  and 
Drummond  Island  has  come  to  be  known  as  "The  Gem  of  the 
Huron.** 

Here  the  British  remained  until  the  Island  was  adjudicated 
American  territory.  Although  they  had  long  s'nce  relinquished 
possession  of  the  American  Sau]t  and  the  Michigan  Upper 
Peninsula,  their  standard  was  still  raised  by  the  Indians  loyal 
to  them  on  the  south  side  of  the  rapids. 

Brought  Gov.  Cass  to  Sault 
It    appears   to   have   been    overlooked    by    later   chroniclers 

109 


that  the  establishment  of  this  British  fort  on  Drummond's 
Island  was  a  direct  cause  for  Governor  Cass's  famous  visit  to 
the  Sault  in  1820,  and  the  erection  of  Fort  Brady  two  years 
later.  The  case  is  stated  plainly  in  a  note  to  Schoolcraft's 
'Narrative  of  the  Expedition  to  the  Sources  of  the  Mississippi:" 

"We  learn  that  the  Indians  are  peaceable,  but  that  the 
effect  of  the  immense  distribution  of  presents  to  them  by  the 
British  authorities  at  Drummond's  Island  has  been  evident  upon 
their  wishes  and  feelings.  Upon  the  establishment  of  our  posts, 
and  the  judicious  distribution  of  our  small  military  force,  must 
we  rely,  and  not  upon  the  disposition  of  the  Indians.  The  im- 
portant points  of  the  country  are  now  almost  all  occupied  by 
our  troops,  and  these  points  have  been  selected  with  great 
judgment.  It  is  thought  by  the  party,  that  the  erection  of  a 
military  work  at  the  Saut  is  essential  to  our  security  in  that 
quarter.  It  is  the  key  of  Lake  Superior,  and  the  Indians  in  its 
vicinity  are  more  disaffected  than  any  others  upon  the  route. 
Their  daily  intercourse  with  Drummond's  Island,  leaves  us  no 
reason  to  doubt  what  are  the  means  by  which  their  feelings 
are  excited  and  continued.  The  importance  of  this  site,  in  a 
military  point  of  view,  has  not  escaped  the  observation  of  Mr. 
Calhoun  and  it  was  for  this  purpose  that  a  treaty  was  directed 
to  be  held." 

Secretary  of  War  John  C.  Calhoun  had  approved  in  1819 
the  plan  of  Governor  Cass  to  effect  a  treaty  with  the  Indians 
at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  to  arrange  for  a  Government  military  post 
at  this  place  and  to  carry  the  flag  of  the  United  States  into 
these  remote  northern  regions,  where  it  had  never  been  borne 
by  officials  of  the  country.  Henry  R.  Schoolcraft,  then  twenty- 
six  years  of  age,  accompanied  this  expedition  in  1820  as  min- 
eralogist and  geologist. 


Came  Up  River  in  Canoes 

Schoolcraft  came  from  Buffalo  to  Detroit  on  the  steamer 
Walk-in-the-Water,  the  first  vessel  on  the  Great  Lakes  to  use 
steam  power,  and  which  had  been  launched  two  years  before. 
The  Walk-in-the-Water  had  been  as  far  north  as  Mackinac,  but 
the  Governor  and  his  party  preferred  canoes  for  their  trip  up 
the  lakes.  In  view  of  possible  hostilities,  a  squad  of  soldiers 
accompanied  the  Governor. 

The  expedition  reached  the  Sault  June  15  th,  1820,  landing, 
as  Schoolcraft  says,  in  front  of  the  old  Nolan  House,  the  ancient 
headquarters  of  the  North  West  Company.  This  was  probably 
the  old  home  of  Augustin  Nolin,  a  French  trapper  and  trader, 
friendly  to  the  American  cause,  who  had  retired  and  settled 
down  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie  before  the  War  of  1812,  afterward 
selling  his  property  to  Mr.  C.  O.  Ermatinger  or  his  sons. 

The  party  went  into  camp  on  the  green  beside  the  river, 

110 


the  hour  being  late,  with  soldiers  on  guard.  The  Indians,  says 
Schoolcraft,  occupied  a  high  plateau  in  plain  view  several  hun- 
dred yards  west,  with  an  intervening  gully  and  a  plain,  well- 
beaten  foot-path. 

Pass  Night  in  Tents 

The  visitors  passed  a  quiet  night  in  their  tents,  disturbed 
only  by  the  sound  of  the  falls  and  the  distant  monotonous 
thump  of  Indian  drums.  In  the  morning  they  explored  the 
village  and  found  it  consisted  of  fifteen  or  twenty  buildings 
occupied  by  the  descendants  of  the  original  French  settlers,  all 
of  whom  drew  their  living  from  the  fur  trade.  Most  of  the 
Frenchmen's  houses  stood  inside  picket  fences.  All  trace  of 
the  missionaries'  chapel  had  disappeared,  but  there  was  an  old 
consecrated  graveyard  which  was  still  used  for  interments. 

The  principal  buildings  of  the  village  were  those  of  John 
Johnston  and  the  ones  formerly  occupied  by  the  North  West 
Company.  Johnston  was  absent  in  Europe,  but  his  family  re- 
ceived the  visitors  hospitably  and  invited  Governor  Cass  and 
his  suite  to  take  all  their  meals  at  the  Johnston  home.  School- 
craft was  impressed  especially  with  the  eldest  daughter,  Jane. 

"The  Sault  Falls  of  St.  Mary,"  continues  Schoolcraft,  "is 
the  head  of  navigation  for  vessels  on  the  lakes  and  has  been 
from  early  days  a  thoroughfare  for  the  Indian  trade.  It  is 
equally  renowned  for  its  white  fish,  which  are  taken  in  the 
rapids  in  a  scoop-net.  The  abundance  and  excellence  of  these 
fish  has  been  the  praise  of  all  travelers  from  the  earliest  date, 
and  it  constitutes  a  ready  means  of  subsistence  for  the  Indians 
who  congregate  here. 

"The  place  was  chiefly  memorable  on  our  tour,  however, 
as  the  seat  of  the  Chippewa  power.  To  adjust  the  relations 
of  the  tribe  with  the  United  States,  a  council  was  convened  with 
the  Chiefs  on  the  day  following  our  arrival." 

To  this  council  the  Chiefs  came,  clothed  in  their  best  and 
arrayed  in  feathers  and  British  medals.  Greeting  the  Governor 
with  great  dignity  at  his  tent,  they  were  seated  and  the  pipes 
were  smoked.  Cass  then  explained  to  them  through  his  in- 
terpreter the  views  of  the  Government.  He  told  them  that  he 
had  come  to  remind  them  of  the  cession  of  the  country  by  their 
ancestors  to  the  French,  to  whose  national  rights  and  preroga- 
tives the  Americans  had  succeeded,  and  to  secure  their  assent 
to  its  reoccupancy. 

Chiefs  Split  on  Proposal 

The  Chiefs  split  on  this  proposition,  some  saying  they  knew 
nothing  of  such  former  grants,  and  others  appearing  to  favor  a 
settlement  on  the  basis  broached  by  the  Governor,  provided  it 
was  not  intended  to  occupy  the  Sault  with  a  garrison.     These 

111 


said,  in  the  symbolic  language  of  the  Indians,  that  they  were 
afraid  their  young  men  might  kill  the  cattle  of  the  garrison. 

The  Governor,  being  fully  aware  of  their  meaning,  replied 
that  so  sure  as  the  sun  then  ascending  would  set,  so  sure  would 
there  be  an  American  garrison  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  whether  they 
renewed  the  grant  or  not. 

The  principal  Chief  Shingabawossin  was  inclined  to  be 
moderate  and  said  little.  But  Shingwauk,  the  Little  Pine,  who 
had  conducted  the  last  war  party  of  Indians  from  the  village 
in  1814,  was  openly  hostile.  So,  too,  was  Sassaba,  a  tall  Chief 
in  scarlet,  whose  brother  had  been  killed  by  the  Americans  in 
the  Battle  of  me  Thames.  He  furiously  drove  his  spear  into 
the  ground  before  him  and  de'ivered  an  impassioned  oration 
in  dissent.  At  its  close  he  kicked  away  the  presents  brought 
by  the  expedition  for  the  Indians  and  strode  from  the  tent, 
and  the  other  Chiefs  followed  him. 

The  Indians  went  to  their  hill,  and  scarcely  had  the  whites 
returned  to  their  tents  when  it  was  announced  that  the  Saulteurs 
had  raised  the  British  flag  in  their  camp.  Trouble  seemed  cer- 
tain and  Governor  Cass  ordered  his  men  under  arms.  Calling 
his  interpreter  and  ordering  the  others  back,  the  Governor  then 
did  a  most  courageous  thing.  Proceeding  up  the  path  and 
across  the  little  ravine,  he  reached  the  lodge  of  Sassaba,  before 
whose  door  the  flag  had  been  raised,  and  immediately  pulled 
down  the  banner.  Then  he  entered  the  lodge  with  the  in- 
terpreter and  informed  the  Chief  that  he  had  been  guilty  of 
an  indignity,  and  that  if  any  other  flag  than  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  were  raised  there  again,  the  United  States  would  set 
a  strong  foot  upon  the  Saulteurs'  rock  and  crush  them.  Fin- 
ally the  Governor,  unmolested,  brought  the  captured  flag  to 
his  tent. 

Indians  Were  Amazed 

The  intrepid  act  of  Cass  struck  the  Indians  with  amazement 
and  indecision.  They  sent  their  women  and  children  across 
the  river  at  once,  but  the  whites  waited  in  vain  for  the  war- 
whoop.  While  the  Chippewas  doubtingly  deliberated,  Mrs. 
Johnston,  the  daughter  of  Waub-ojeeg,  sought  council  with  the 
Chiefs  and  told  them  their  meditated  scheme  of  resistance  to 
the  Americans  was  madness,  that  the  day  for  such  resistance 
had  passed,  that  Cass  was  her  guest,  that  he  had  the  air  of  a 
great  man,  and  could  carry  his  flag  through  the  country. 

The  advice  prevailed,  and  she  had  the  seconding  of  Shing- 
abowassin  and  the  Little  Pine.  Negotiations  were  renewed, 
and  another  council  was  convened  in  one  of  the  Johnston 
buildings.  Here  the  treaty  desired  by  the  Governor  was 
amicably  discussed  and  signed  by  all  the  Chiefs  save  Sassaba, 
June  1 6th, — a  treaty  by  which  the  Chippewas  ceded  to  the 
United  States  a  piece  of  land   four  miles  square,    fronting  the 

112 


Winter  and  Summer  Near  the  Sault 


OF  THE 


rapids  and  lying  within  the  present  limits  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 
The  Indians  reserved  the  perpetual  right  to  fish  in  the  rapids. 
The  consideration  for  this  cession  was  paid  on  the  spot  in  mer- 
chandise. 

Such,  in  substance,  is  Schoolcraft's  account  of  the  lowering 
of  the  British  flag  by  Governor  Cass  at  the  rapids  in  June,  1  820, 
in  all  likelihood  on  the  identical  spot  where  St.  Lusson  had 
raised  the  French  ensign  in  the  same  month  one  hundred  forty 
nine  years  before.  It  is  regrettable  that  the  exact  location  of 
these  historic  occurrences  is  open  to  doubt.  Many  an  argument 
has  been  waged  on  this  point  of  location,  the  opinion  being 
advanced  by  some,  and  not  without  reason,  that  Sassaba's  flag 
stood  on  the  high  ground  just  south  of  the  Weitzel  lock. 

Schoolcraft  mentions  a  ravine  which  still  exists  near  the  foot 
of  Bingham  Avenue,  and  which  in  former  times  extended  south- 
ward across  the  present  line  of  Portage  Avenue.  But  he  does 
not  say  how  far  west  of  the  ravine  Sassaba's  lodge  and  the 
Indian  village  were  placed,  or  at  what  distance  east  of  it  the 
Governor's  tent  was  pitched.  He  tells  us  the  Indians  "oc- 
cupied a  high  plateau,  in  plain  view,  several  hundred  yards  west 
of  the  expedition's  tents,  with  an  intervening  gully,  and  a  plain, 
well-beat   foot-path." 

Probably  at  Foot  of  Bingham 

This  is  rather  indefinite.  If  the  visitors'  tents  were  pitched 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Johnston  home,  on  the  river 
bank  marked  as  Indian  camping  ground  on  the  Wheeler- West- 
cott  map,  or  in  the  pasture,  the  Indian  village  might  be  located 
easily  enough  three  hundred  yards  or  so  west  on  or  about  the 
present  line  of  Water  Street  or  Park  Place,  just  across  the 
ravine.  The  ground  is  a  little  higher  there,  and  it  has  been 
mentioned  that  prints  of  the  period  do  not  show  any  particular 
elevation  further  west,  except  in  the  location  of  the  Indian 
burying-ground.  It  is  not  likely  that  the  Chippewas  would 
camp  on  a  spot  sacred  to  the  bones  of  their  ancestors.  Fur- 
thermore, the  burying-ground  was  directly  opposite  the  rapids, 
and  the  location  of  an  encampment  there  would  necessitate  a 
considerable  detour  around  the  rapids  in  crossing  the  river. 
The  logical  place  of  living  for  the  Indians  was  at  the  foot  of 
the  rapids,  and  this  hardly  could  have  been  far  above  the  little 
hill  at  the  foot  of  Bingham  Avenue. 

A  sketch  of  Water  Street  made  in  1850  and  now  hanging 
in  Le  Saut  de  Sainte  Marie  club-rooms,  shows  the  ground  south 
of  the  location  of  the  Weitzel  lock  to  be  rough  and  not  at  all 
suited  to  camping  purposes. 

Another  statement  of  Schoolcraft  deserves  consideration. 
He  says:  "It  has  been  stated  that  the  encampment  of  the  In- 
dians was  situated  on  an  eminence  a  few  hundred  yards  west 

113 


from  our  position  on  the  shore,   and  separated   from  us  by  a 

small  ravine In  a  few  moments  after  the  Governor's 

return  from  the  Indian  camp,  that  camp  was  cleared  by  the 
Indians  of  their  women  and  children,  who  fled  with  precipita- 
tion in  their  canoes  across  the  river." 

Reversing  this  statement,  and  allowing  that  the  Indians  were 
on  an  eminence  close  to  the  present  Weitzel  lock,  with  the 
whites  a  few  hundred  yards  east  of  them,  say  just  to  the 
eastward  of  the  little  historic  ravine,  it  is  difficult  to  see  how 
the  women  and  children  could  take  to  their  canoes  without 
passing  directly  by  and  very  close  to  Governor  Cass  and  his 
men.  It  is  hardly  conceivable  that  they  would  do  this.  As 
an  alternative  we  have  only  the  supposition  that  the  Indians 
had  two  fleets  of  canoes,  one  below  and  one  above  the  rapids, 
and  that  the  women  and  children  took  refuge  in  the  latter.  This 
is  equally  unlikely. 

A  more  reasonable  explanation  seems  to  be  that  the  Amer- 
icans were  encamped  some  distance  below  the  ravine  and  that 
the  Indians  had  placed  themselves  just  west  of  it  on  the  high 
ground  there,  and  from  which  point  they  could  transfer  their 
women  and  children  to  the  canoes  without  contact  with  the 
whites. 

Chief  Helped  Governor? 

William  Warren,  the  native  historian  of  the  Chippewas, 
has  left  us  the  account  of  another  Chippewa  Chief,  Hole  in  the 
Day,  who  told  Warren  that  he  was  present  on  this  occasion. 
The  Chief  claimed  that  he  had  rushed  to  the  defense  of  the 
Governor  when  the  flag  came  down,  and  had  called  for  his 
friends  to  join  in  backing  the  Governor.  Also  that  the  local 
Chippewas  were  very  hostile,  and  this  daring  exploit  prevented 
the  massacre  of  Cass  and  all  his  men. 

This  story  came  to  Dr.  Alfred  Brunson,  Indian  Agent  at 
La  Pointe  years  later,  and  through  him  to  Mr.  C.  C.  Trow- 
bridge, assistant  topographer  of  the  expedition.  Mr.  Trow- 
bridge made  the  following  comments,  afterward  printed  in  the 
records  of  the  Wisconsin  Historical  Society: 

"Dr.  Brunson's  sketch  is,  in  respect  to  Hole  in  the  Day, 
one  more  proof  that  it  is  dangerous  to  trust  tradition.  Hole 
in  the  Day  no  doubt  told  the  Doctor  or  his  informant  that  in 
the  little  affair  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie  in  1820  between  Governor 
Cass  and  the  Chippewas,  he  came  to  the  Governor's  aid.  But 
there  is  an  alibi, — Hole  in  the  Day  was  not  there. 

"I  recollect  the  circumstances  as  well  as  if  they  occurred 
but  yesterday,  and  my  journal  of  the  events  is  now  before  me. 
I  will  mention  that  the  Governor  took  from  Detroit  one  canoe 
load  of  Indians  under  command  of  Kewakwishkum,  an  Ottawa 
Chief  from  Grand  Rapids.      At  Mackinac,   where  we  stopped 

114 


several  days,  a  very  handsome,  athletic  young  Indian  whom 
we  called  Buck,  probably  as  a  translation  of  his  Indian  name, 
was  strongly  recommended  by  Biddle  and  Drew,  Indian  traders, 
as  likely  to  be  serviceable,  and  the  fellow  pleaded  so  hard  that 
the  Governor  took  him. 

"At  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  the  conference  with  the  Chippewas 
took  place  in  the  Governor's  wall  tent,  the  sides  of  which  were 
rolled  up,  so  that  it  was  a  tent  a  l'abri.  The  Chippewas  had 
their  lodges  on  the  American  side,  some  distance,  say  a  third 
of  a  mile,  above  the  Governor's  camp.  My  impression  is  that 
when  they  came  to  the  conference  they  had  just  come  from 
the  British  side. 

British   Gave  Presents 

"You  are  aware  that  the  British  had,  during  the  war  of 
181  2-' 15,  been  profuse  in  the  distribution  of  presents,  and  our 
Government  had  not.  The  consequence  was  a  settled  hostility 
on  the  part  of  the  Indians.  The  object  of  the  Cass  expedition 
was  to  carry  our  flag  through  the  country,  assert  our  rights,  ar- 
range for  a  military  post  at  St.  Marie,  and  look  for  the  Onton- 
agon copper  rock.  Governor  Cass  informed  this  little  squad 
of  this  design.  He  told  them  of  the  double  purchase  of  their 
territory  by  the  French  and  the  English;  read  and  explained 
to  them  the  treaty  of  Greenville  in  1  795,  of  Spring  Wells  in 
1815,  and  of  Fort  Harrison  in  1816;  and  informed  them  that 
their  Great  American  Father  intended  to  place  some  troops 
at  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and  wanted  a  small  place  to  land,  for 
which  he  was  ready  to  pay  a  third  time. 

"I  must  describe  the  appearance  of  the  Chippewa  Chief. 
Beginning  at  the  top,  an  eagle's  feather,  signifying  that  he  was 
a  killer,  bear's  grease,  vermilion  and  indigo,  a  red  British 
military  coat  with  two  enormous  epaulets,  a  large  British  silver 
medal,  breech-clout,  leggings  and  moccasins.  Thus  decked 
off,  he  rose  and  said  gruffly  that  they  did  not  wish  to  sell 
their  land.  The  Governor  informed  them  that  their  fathers 
had  twice  sold  it  and  been  paid  for  it,  but  that  to  make  things 
pleasant  he  would  buy  it  again. 

"He  had  a  quantity  of  tobacco  in  the  center  of  the  tent  for 
distribution.  He  offered  through  the  interpreter  the  usual  pipe 
after  smoking — in  his  way,  which  was  to  wait  until  the  inter- 
preter had  fixed  the  pipe,  and  then  blow  the  smoke  out  instead 
of  inhaling  it  himself.  The  chief  rejected  the  pipe  and  rushed 
out  of  the  tent — not  through  the  door,  but  under  the  side. 
His  men  followed  him.  They  went  up  to  their  camp.  This 
was  late  in  the  afternoon.  Soon  after,  the  women  of  the  camp 
were  seen  going  toward  the  river  with  burdens  on  their  backs; 
and  then  it  was  discovered  that  the  British  flag  was  hoisted 
in  front  of  their  lodges.      As  soon  as  the   Governor  saw  this 

115 


he  called  William  Riley,  the  interpreter,  and  walked  hastily 
toward  the  Indian  camp.  He  refused  to  allow  anyone  else  to 
accompany  him.      He  went  unarmed. 

Brought  Flag  Staff  Back 

"We  watched  with  deep  solicitude.  We  saw  him  pull  down 
the  flag,  throw  it  to  the  ground,  and  point  to  it  while  he  looked 
toward  the  Indians,  who  were  then  outside  their  lodges.  Riley 
told  us  when  they  returned  to  camp  that  the  Governor  rebuked 
the  Indians,  and  told  them  if  they  raised  the  flag  there  again 
he  would  fire  on  them.  Riley  by  command  of  the  Governor 
brought  the  staff  of  the  flag  to  our  camp. 

"Early  in  the  evening  George  Johnston  came  to  the  Gov- 
ernor at  the  request  of  his  mother,  to  tell  him  that  the  Chip- 
pewas  intended  to  attack  the  camp  during  the  night.  Immedi- 
ately the  camp  was  put  in  a  state  of  defense.  Sentinels  were 
posted,  muskets  were  rubbed  up,  and  common  guns  and  horse- 
men's pistols,  with  which  the  young  gentlemen  of  the  Gov- 
ernor's suite  were  armed,  were  loaded,  and  orders  and  coun- 
tersigns given.  We  had  a  guard  of  soldiers  who  accompanied 
us  thus  far,  under  Lieut.  John  Pierce,  brother  of  the  late  Presi- 
dent of  that  name,  besides  eight  who  continued  with  us 
throughout  the  expedition,  under  Lieut.  Mackay. 

"It  was  now  discovered  that  our  Indians  faltered.  They 
came  with  their  Chief  to  the  Governor  and  said  they  would 
give  up  their  arms  and  lie  down,  and  take  their  chance  of 
death;  but  they  would  not  fire  upon  their  brothers.  Young 
Buck  stood  aloof.  When  the  Chief  had  finished,  Buck  walked 
forward  with  a  defiant  air,  and,  addressing  the  Governor, 
alluded  to  his  having  been  reluctantly  received  at  Mackinaw, 
and  now  he  was  going  to  make  good  the  pledge  of  Biddle  and 
Drew.  'He  wanted,'  he  said,  'a  good  rifle,  and  wanted  no  one 
to  relieve  him;  and  if  those  fellows  dared  to  approach  our 
camp  they  would  pay  dearly  for  their  temerity.* 

"We  put  out  the  fires  and  the  lights  and  watched  all  night. 
It  was  very  dark,  but  we  were  all  in  fine  spirits  and  spoiling 
for  a  fight.  Day  broke  and  we  found  ourselves  wearing  our 
scalps. 

Indians  Repent 

"In  a  short  time  we  learned  that  Mrs.  Johnston,  who  was 
a  Chief's  daughter,  had  spent  the  night  with  her  friends  and 
relatives  at  their  camp,  and  that  they  heartily  repented  of 
their  rashness.  They  were  now  desirous  to  see  their  Father  and 
apologize,  and  would  be  glad  to  sell  him  a  piece  of  land  for 
a  fort. 

"Accordingly  a  conference  was  had,  the  Chippewas  apolo- 
gized, and  the  treaty  of  the  cession  was  made.     We  afterwards 

116 


heard  that  the  Chippewas  on  Lake  Superior  were  greatly  sur- 
prised to  see  us,  after  having  been  apprised  by  runners  that  we 
were  all  to  be  massacred  at  the  Sault  as  we  passed  up. 

"Here  you  see  that  we  had  no  aid  from  any  one  but  Mrs. 
Johnston,  and  from  her  only  as  a  diplomat,  and  that  the  real 
hero  of  the  scene,  after  Governor  Cass,  of  course,  was  the  In- 
dian Buck.  Whether  Hole  in  the  Day  was  there  I  do  not  know. 
1  have  no  recollection  of  hearing  anything  from  him  till  long 
after  the  event.     So  much  for  Buck." 

This  eliminates  Hole  in  the  Day,  barring  of  course  the 
possibility  that  he  and  Buck  were  one.  We  know  that  the 
Chippewas  sometimes  changed  their  names.  Shingwakonce,  for 
instance,   signed  his  name  as  Lavoine  on  the  above  treaty. 

Neither  Trowbridge's  story  nor  that  of  George  Johnston 
in  his  "Reminiscences"  throws  much  light  on  the  now-debated 
location  of  the  flag.  Johnston  says  the  Governor  and  his  party 
formed  their  camp  on  the  green  near  the  shore,  within  gun- 
shot of  the  Indian  village.  This  would  indicate  a  comparatively 
limited  distance. 

Location  Remains  in  Doubt 

In  fine,  the  precise  place  of  the  Governor's  famous  coup 
remains  in  dispute.  But  since  local  civic  bodies  desired  to 
mark  the  spot  as  nearly  as  possible,  it  was  deemed  well  by 
those  interested  to  designate  the  little  hill  at  the  foot  of  Bing- 
ham Avenue  as  the  ground  where  the  British  flag  was  lowered 
in  1820,  to  float  no  more  over  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  or  Michigan, 
or  the  northwestern  States. 

Sassaba  the  imp'acable  henceforth  cherished  a  more  bitter 
enmity  than  ever  against  all  Americans.  Two  years  after  the 
above  events  he  was  drowned  in  the  rapids. 

The  figure  of  the  Indian  wife  and  mother  Mrs.  Johnston, 
strong,  self-reliant  and  tactful,  mediating  successfully  between 
the  whites  and  her  infuriated  people  in  the  absence  of  her 
husband,  is  one  of  the  pleasant  pictures  of  old  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 
Governor  Cass  wrote  his  appreciation  of  her  to  John  Johnston, 
and  although  the  latter' s  c'aims  for  war  damages  were  disal- 
lowed, Mrs.  Johnston  and  her  children  and  grand-children 
each  received  by  the  Treaty  of  Fond  du  Lac  in  1826  one  sec- 
tion of  land.  Part  of  this  land  was  the  high  ground  on  the 
western  shore  of  Sugar  Island  near  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  The 
Island  is  so  called  from  the  great  quantities  of  maple  sugar 
produced  there  in  times  past.  After  the  death  of  her  husband, 
Mrs.  Johnston  turned  her  attention  to  maple  sugar  and  syrup 
making,  and  she  marketed  several  thousand  pounds  of  maple 
sugar  each  year. 

Detroit  Cut  Off  From  Civilization 

Schoolcraft  proceeded  up  Lake  Superior  after  the  affair  at 

117 


the  Sault,  no  doubt  taking  with  him  pleasant  thoughts  of  the 
handsome  Jane  Johnston.  He  went  back  east  by  another 
route,  and  soon  after  his  return  the  steamer  Walk-in-the-Water 
was  wrecked  in  Lake  Erie.  A  friend  in  Detroit  wrote  School- 
craft: "This  accident  is  one  of  the  greatest  misfortunes  that 
ever  befell  Michigan.  It  deprives  us  of  all  certain  and  speedy 
communication  with  the  civilized  world." 

If  Detroit  was  so  remote  from  civilization,  what  must  be 
said  of  the  Sault  of  one  hundred  years  ago? 

Schoolcraft's  nomination  to  the  post  of  Indian  Agent  at 
the  Sault  was  confirmed  by  the  United  States  Senate  in  1  822, 
and  he  came  up  on  the  new  steamer  "Superior,"  the  second 
steam-boat  on  the  Great  Lakes.  Colonel  Brady  came  also, 
with  a  battalion  of  the  Second  Regiment  U.  S.  Infantry,  from 
Sackett's  Harbor.  The  Colonel,  who  was  made  a  General  the 
day  he  landed  at  the  Sault,  took  quarters  with  some  of  his 
officers  and  their  wives  in  the  old  Nolin  house,  which  was  in 
ruinous  repair  but  the  best  available.  Schoolcraft  found  a  wel- 
come haven  in  the  Johnston  home,  the  finest  in  the  Sault,  and 
was  delighted  with  his  new  home.  "I  have  stumbled,  as  it 
were,"  he  says,  "on  the  only  family  in  North  West  America 
who  could,  in  Indian  lore,  have  acted  as  my  guide,  philosopher 
and  friend." 

Schoolcraft  Becomes  Famous 

Schoolcraft  was  young  and  ambitious,  and  he  appears  to 
have  taken  the  Agency  at  the  Sault  only  because  nothing  bet- 
ter was  offered  him.  He  desired  a  higher  post  in  Government 
work.  He  found  himself,  however,  in  a  wonderful  field  for 
investigation  and  research,  and  his  writings  on  the  Indians,  be- 
gun and  completed  here  and  elsewhere  but  founded  on  his 
experiences  and  researches  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  have  made  him 
famous  as  an  ethnologist  and  historian. 

The  first  Agency  building  in  the  Sault  belonged  to  John 
Johnston  and  had  been  used  as  his  men's  quarters.  Schoolcraft 
soon  had  a  new  building  thirty-six  feet  square  and  about  a 
hundred  yards  west  of  the  first  one.  In  the  rear  was  a  black- 
smith shop,  probably  Johnston's.  The  gate  of  the  new  fort  was 
three  hundred  yards  west  of  the  new  Agency. 

Fixes  on  Correct  Name 

Since  his  official  communications  to  and  from  the  United 
States  Government  were  likely  to  be  frequent,  one  of  the  first 
things  Schoolcraft  did  was  to  determine  as  nearly  as  might 
be  the  correct  name  of  the  village.  His  method  of  arrival  at 
the  form  adopted  by  the  Government  at  his  suggestion,  and 
used  officially  since,  is  interesting: 

"Sault  Ste.  Marie  and  Lake  Superior  are  destined  to  hold  an 

118 


important  rank  in  our  future  geography.  When  the  French 
first  came  to  these  falls,  they  found  the  Chippewas,  the  falls 
signifying,  descriptively,  Shallow  water  pitching  over  rocks,  or 
by  a  prepositional  form  of  the  term,  at  the  place  of  shallow 
water,  pitching  over  rocks.  The  terms  cover  more  precisely 
the  idea  which  we  express  by  the  word  cascade.  The  French 
call  a  cascade  a  Leap  or  Sault;  but  Sault  alone  would  not  be 
distinctive,  as  they  had  already  applied  the  term  to  some 
striking  passes  on  the  St.  Lawrence  and  other  places.  They 
therefore,  in  conformity  with  their  general  usage,  added  the 
name  of  a  patron  saint  to  the  term  by  calling  it  Sault  de  Sainte 
Marie,  i.  e.,  Leap  of  St.  Mary,  to  distinguish  it  from  other 
Leaps,  or  Saults.  Now  as  the  word  Sainte,  as  here  used,  is 
feminine,  it  must  in  its  abbreviated  form,  be  written  Ste.  The 
preposition  de  (the)  is  usually  dropped.  Use  has  further  now 
dropped  the  sound  of  the  letter  1  from  Sault.  But  as,  in  the 
reforms  of  the  French  dictionary,  the  ancient  geographical 
names  of  places  remain  unaffected,  the  true  phraseology  is 
SAULT  STE.  MARIE." 

Indians  Called  Saulteurs 

Thus  did  the  U.  S.  Government  Indian  Agent  Henry 
Schoolcraft  choose  and  fix  for  good  the  corporate  name  we 
bear,  a  variation  of  which  was  originally  bestowed  upon  us 
by  the  French  Jesuit  missionary  Jacques  Marquette.  In  the 
records  consulted  in  the  compilation  of  this  story,  the  name  is 
spelled  in  thirty-four  or  thirty-five  different  ways,  sometimes 
with  two  or  three  variations  in  the  same  document. 

"Having  named  the  falls  a  Sault,"  continues  Schoolcraft, 
the  French  went  a  step  further,  and  called  the  Ojibwa  Indians 
who  lived  at  it  Saulteurs,  or  People  of  the  Sault.  Hence  this 
has  ever  remained  the  French  name  for  Chippewas." 

Schoolcraft  found  the  correct  pronunciation  of  the  word 
Sault  to  be  "so."  This  is  of  course  the  French  way  of  speaking 
the  word,  and  there  are  many  French  here  and  but  few  other 
whites  in  Schoolcraft's  day.  General  usage,  however,  in  the 
English  tongue,  and  the  American  passion  for  brevity  in 
nomenclature,  have  crystallized  in  the  name  "Soo,"  and  our 
purists  cannot  change  this  now.  The  accepted  pronunciation 
of  the  full  name  is  Soo  St.  Mary,  the  first  word  being  empha- 
sized, the  second  slurred  just  a  little,  and  the  third  being  ac- 
cented on  the  first  syllable. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Curran  of  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Ontario,  Daily 
Star  has  suggested  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  sister  cities  at 
the  rapids  follow  the  old  usage  and  call  themselves  Saulteurs, 
pronounced  So-ters.  The  idea  is  a  happy  one,  and  it  has  ro- 
mantic and  historic  usage  back  of  it.  But  romance  and  history 
have  a  small  part     in  the  lives     of  modern     folks.     We     are 

119 


creatures  of  habit,  and  probably  shall  continue  to  designate 
ourselves  by  the  unlovely  but  easily  remembered  name 
"Sooites." 

All  of  which  calls  to  mind  a  certain  limerick: 

Said  a  youngster  of  Sault  Ste.   Marie, 
To  spell  I  will  never  agree, 

Till  they  learn  to  spell  Sault 

Without  any  u, 
Or  an  a  or  an  1  or  a  t. 

Schoolcraft's  fertile  mind  and  poetic  fancy  conceived  an- 
other name  that  is  of  interest  to  our  Canadian  friends.  To 
quote: 

"In  the  term  Gitchegomee,  the  name  for  Superior,  we  have 
a  specimen  of  the  Indian  mode  of  making  compounds.  Gitche 
signifies  something  great.  Gomee  is  a  compound  phrase  de- 
noting a  large  body  of  water,  a  sea.  I  have  cast  about  to  find 
a  sonorous  form  in  which  it  may  come  into  popular  use,  but 
find  nothing  more  eligible  than  I-go-mee  or  Igoma.  A  more 
practical  word  in  the  shape  of  a  new  compound  may  be  made 
in  Algoma,  a  term  in  which  the  first  syllable  of  the  generic 
name  of  this  tribe  of  the  Algonquin  stock  Tiarmonizes  very  well 
with  the  Indian  idea  of  goma  (sea),  giving  us  Sea  of  the 
Algonquins.  The  term  may  be  objected  to,  as  the  result  of  a 
grammatical  abbreviation,  but  if  not  adopted  practically  it  may 
do  as  a  poetical  synonym  for  this  great  lake." 

The  term  was  not  objected  to,  but  it  has  been  taken  by 
the  people  of  Canada  as  the  name  of  one  of  their  most  beauti- 
ful provinces. 

Schoolcraft  Marries  Miss  Johnston 

About  a  year  after  his  arrival  Schoolcraft  married  Jane 
Johnston,  the  grand-daughter  of  Chief  Waub-ojeeg.  He  de- 
voted much  time  to  the  investigation  of  Indian  languages,  tra- 
ditions and  customs,  took  a  friendly  and  personal  interest  in 
his  red  charges  and  procured  the  enactment  of  several  laws 
beneficent  to  them.  In  1827  he  moved  into  a  handsome  resi- 
dence on  the  bank  of  the  river  about  half  a  mile  east  of  the 
fort.  This  building  contained  fifteen  rooms  including  the 
Agency  office,  and  stood  in  a  bower  of  elms,  maples  and 
mountain  ash  of  his  planting.  Here,  he  tells  us,  he  lived  most 
hrppily,  varying  the  duties  of  his  office  with  his  incursions  into 
Indian  lore.  This  house  still  stands,  close  to  the  Michigan 
Northern  Power  Company's  power-house,  and  is  now  shut  off 
from  the  river  by  it. 

Schoolcraft  became  a  member  of  the  Michigan  Territorial 
Legislature  in  1828,  and  helped  to  organize  the  Michigan  His- 
torical Society  in  the  same  year.      Four  years  later  he  headed 

120 


a  scientific  expedition  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Mississippi 
River,  and  determined  its  source  to  be  in  Lake  Itasca,  which 
was  named  by  him.  He  spent  eleven  busy  and  useful  years  in 
the  Sault  and  its  vicinity  before  the  Indian  Agency  was  moved 
to  Mackinac  Island. 

Schoolcraft's  writings  and  compilations  here,  many  of  them 
done  with  the  assistance  of  his  accomplished  wife,  were  sub- 
sequently published.  They  include  his  "Algic  Researches," 
"Oneota,  or  the  Indian  in  his  Wigwam,"  "Thirty  Years  with 
the  Indian  Tribes,"  and  most  noted  of  all,  the  "History,  Con- 
dition and  Prospects  of  the  Indian  Tribes."  This  monumental 
work  was  published  by  the  United  States  Government  in  1851- 
5  7  at  a  cost  of  $650,000.00.  The  six  great  quarto  volumes 
under  this  title  form  the  most  extensive  existing  repository  of 
information  concerning  the  red  race  in  America. 

After  his  first  coming  to  the  Sault  and  previous  to  his  in- 
cumbency as  Indian  Agent  here,  he  published  his  "Travels  in 
the  Central  Portion  of  the  Mississippi  Valley."  This,  his  first 
work,  laid  the  solid  foundation  of  his  fame,  and  was  useful 
to  the  country  in  acquainting  the  east  with  the  enormous  and 
hitherto  unknown  possibilities  of  the  lands  beyond  the  Great 
Lakes. 

Were  Indians  Misused? 

It  is  still  the  fashion  in  some  quarters  to  condemn  the  United 
States  Government's  treatment  of  the  Indians  within  its  bound- 
daries.  With  these  criticisms  in  mind,  it  is  worth  while  to 
read  the  following  from  the  foreword  of  Schoolcraft's  "Thirty 
Years  With  the  Indian  Tribes."  This  foreword  is  written  anony- 
mously, probably  by  the  brother  of  Schoolcraft  but  no  doubt 
with  the  sanction  of  the  latter,  who  probably  knew  the  Indians 
as  no  other  white  man  ever  did: 

"We  have  been  reproached  by  foreign  pens  for  our  treat- 
ment of  these  tribes,  and  our  policy,  motives  ajnd  justice  im- 
pugned. If  we  are  not  mistaken  the  materials  here  collected 
(referring  to  Schoolcraft's  "History,  Condition  and  Prospects 
of  the  Indian  Tribes")  will  show  how  gratuitous  such  imputa- 
tions have  been.  It  is  believed  that  no  stock  of  the  aborigines 
found  by  civilized  nations  on  the  globe  have  received  the 
same  amount  of  considerate  and  benevolent  and  humane  treat- 
ment, as  denoted  by  the  Government's  laws,  its  treaties,  and 
general  administration  of  Indian  affairs,  from  the  establishment 
of  the  Constitution,  and  this  too,  in  the  face  of  the  most  hostile, 
wrongheaded  and  capricious  conduct  on  their  part,  that  ever 
signalized  the  history  of  a  barbarous  people." 

We  are  indebted  for  the  greater  part  of  our  knowledge  of 
old  Algonquin  America  to  the  Jesuit  Relations  and  to  Henry 
Schoolcraft,    citizen   of   Sault   Ste.    Marie.      The   importance    of 

121 


this  information  in  the  Relations  cannot  be  over-estimated; 
still,  it  was  incidental  to  the  report  by  the  writers  of  spiritual 
progress  made  by  their  savage  congregations.  Banished,  as 
it  were,  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Schoolcraft  seized  a  pschycological 
opportunity  in  the  true  spirit  of  enterprise,  and  made  himself 
famous  by  recording  his  observations.  It  has  been  said  that 
Schoolcraft  was  the  man  who  gold-plated  the  northern  Indians, 
but  who  shall  blame  him?  They  were  the  making  of  him. 
And  they  did  not  need  his  gilding,  for  they  were  and  are  one  of 
the  most  interesting  races  in  the  world. 

Were  Inspiration  of  Longfellow 

Longfellow  found  his  inspiration  for  Hiawatha,  the  most 
famous  of  his  poems,  in  the  works  of  Schoolcraft  compiled 
largely  here  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  His  debt  and  ours  to  School- 
craft is  acknowledged  in  the  opening  lines: 

Should  you  ask  me  whence  these  stories, 
Whence  these  legends  and  traditions, 
With  the  odors  of  the  forest, 
With  the  dew  and  damp  of  meadows, 
With  the  curling  smoke  of  wigwams, 
With  the  rushing  of  great  rivers, 
I  should  answer,  I  should  tell  you, 
From  the  forests  and  the  prairies, 
From  the  great  lakes  of  the  Northland, 
From  the  land  of  the  Ojibways. 

Schoolcraft  moved  his  agency  to  Mackinac  Island  in  1833, 
and  assumed  the  Superintendency  of  Indian  Affairs  for  Michi- 
gan at  Detroit  in   1836. 

Is  Buried  Here 

Johnston  died  in  1828  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and  was  buried 
not  far  from  where  the  Armory  now  stands.  Years  after- 
ward his  remains  were  transferred  to  Riverside  Cemetery, 
where  they  repose  in  a  family  lot  with  those  of  members  of 
his  family,  in  the  northwestern  corner  of  the  cemetery,  a  little 
distance  back  of  the  caretaker's  house.  The  stone  marking 
the  spot  is  engraved  with  an  epitaph  by  Schoolcraft. 

In  justice  to  Johnston,  the  following  note  of  School- 
craft's is  inserted  here: 

John  Johnston  was  a  native  of  the  north  of  Ireland,  where 
his  family  possessed  an  estate  named  'Craige,*  near  the  cele- 
brated Giant's  Causeway.  He  came  to  this  country  during  the 
first  Presidential  term  of  Washington,  and  settled  at  St.  Mary's> 
about  1  793.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  taste,  reading,  refined 
feeling  and  multivated  manners,  which  enabled  him  to  direct 

122 


the  education  of  his  children,  an  object  to  which  he  assiduously 
devoted  himself;  and  his  residence  was  long  known  as  the  seat 
of  hospitality  and  refinement  to  all  who  visited  the  region.  In 
1814,  his  premises  were  visited,  during  his  absence,  by  a  part 
of  the  force  who  entered  the  St.  Mary's  under  Colonel  Croghan, 
and  his  private  property  subjected  to  pillage,  from  a  misap- 
prehension, created  by  some  evil-minded  persons,  that  he  was 
an  agent  of  the  Northwest  Company.  Genial,  social,  kind, 
and  benevolent,  his  society  was  much  sought,  and  he  was 
sometimes  imposed  on  by  those  who  had  been  received  into 
his  employments  and  trusts,  as  in  the  reports  which  carried 
the  Americans  to  his  domicile  in   1814." 

An  Interesting  Sketch 

There  is  an  interesting  sketch  of  Johnston  in  Ross  Cox's 
"Adventures  on  the  Columbia  River,"  from  which  the  follow- 
ing is  taken: 

"Mr.  Johnston  has  extensive  plantations  of  corn  and  po- 
tatoes, with  a  beautitfully  arranged  and  well-stocked  fruit  and 
flower  garden.  During  the  late  war  with  America  he  induced 
one  thousand  Indian  warriors  (of  whom  he  took  the  command) 
to  join  the  British  forces,  and  rendered  important  services 
while  so  employed. 

"He  suffered  severely  for  his  loyalty,  for  during  his  absence 
with  the  army,  a  predatory  party  of  Americans  attacked  his 
place  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  a  large  quantity  of  valuable  furs, 
which  they  were  informed  he  had  in  his  stores,  but  which  a 
short  time  before  his  departure  he  had  fortunately  removed. 
Disappointed  in  their  hopes  of  plunder,  they  burned  his  house 
and  out-offices.  At  the  period,  therefore,  of  our  visit  (1817) 
the  buildings  were  quite  new,  and  were  constructed  with  much 
taste.  The  furniture  was  elegant  and  the  library  select  and 
elegant. 

Mr.  Johnston  possessed  a  highly  cultivated  mind,  much 
improved  by  extensive  reading.  He  had  made  many  ex- 
cursions round  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior  and  along  the 
banks  of  its  tributary  streams,  in  which  scientific  researches 
imparted  a  pleasing  variety  to  the  business  of  an  Indian  trader. 
His  collection  of  specimens  were  varied  and  well  selected,  and 
if  the  result  of  his  inquiries  be  published,  they  will,  I  have  no 
doubt,  prove  a  valuable  addition  to  our  geological  knowledge 
of  interior  America. 

"Two  retired  traders,  named  Nolin  and  Ermantinger,  also 
resided  on  the  same  side  with  Mr.  Johnston,  a  short  distance 
below  his  house. 

Ninety  Pound  Trout 

"Mr.  Johnston  has  plenty  of  cattle,  hogs,  sheep  and  do- 
mestic fowl,   and  has  also  a  very  good   windmill   close   to  his 

123 


dwelling-house.  Fish  is  found  in  great  abundance,  particu- 
larly trout.  They  are  of  enormous  size,  sixty  pounds  is  not 
uncommon;  and  Mr.  Johnston  assured  me  that  he  saw  one 
caught  in  Lake  Superior  which  weighed  ninety  pounds. 

"He  treated  us  to  an  excellent  dinner,  fine  wine,  and  a 
few  tumblers  of  Irish  mountain  dew  which  had  never  seen  the 
face  of  an  exciseman.  We  left  Mr.  Johnston's  at  dusk,  but 
he  crossed  over  with  us  to  the  north  side,  and  we  spent  to- 
gether another  night  of  social  and  intellectual  enjoyment." 

In  the  days  of  Cox  and  Schoolcraft,  the  Saulteurs  picnicked 
at  Point  aux  Pins>  The  Shallows  and  Gros  Cap  as  they  do  now, 
but  the  glorious  sport  of  shooting  the  rapids  is  gone  forever, 
barred  by  the  compensating  dam  which  stretches  from  the 
American  to  the  Canadian  ship  canals.  Modern  Saulteurs 
make  the  picnic  pilgrimage  in  cars  or  launches;  the  old  Saul- 
teurs had  no  other  conveyance  than  canoes. 

"I  went  with  a  pic-nic  to  Gross  Cape,  a  romantic  promon- 
tory at  the  foot  of  Lake  Superior,"  says  Schoolcraft.  "This 
elevation  stands  on  the  north  shore  of  the  straits  and  conse- 
quently in  Canada.  It  overlooks  a  noble  expanse  of  waters 
and  islands,  constituting  one  of  the  most  magnificent  series 
of  views  of  American  scenery.  Immediately  opposite  stands 
the  scarcely  less  elevated  and  not  less  celebrated  promontory 
of  Point  Iroquois,  the  Na-do-wa-we-gon-ing,  or  Place  of 
Iroquois  Bones,  of  the  Chippewas.  These  two  promontories 
stand  like  pillars  of  Hercules  which  guard  the  entrance  into  the 
Mediterranean,  and  their  office  is  to  mark  the  foot  of  the 
mighty  Superior,  a  lake  which  may  not-  inaptly,  be  deemed 
another  Mediterranean  Sea.  The  morning  chosen  to  visit  this 
scene  was  fine;  the  means  of  conveyance  chosen  was  the  novel 
and  fairy-like  barque  of  the  Chippewas,  which  they  denominate 
Che-maun,  but  which  we,  from  a  corruption  of  a  Charib  term 
rs  old  as  the  days  of  Columbus,  call  a  Canoe. 

"Our  party  consisted  of  several  ladies  and  gentlemen.  We 
carried  the  elements  of  a  picnic  (a  word  derived  from  a  root 
meaning,  to  eat).  We  moved  rapidly.  The  views  on  all  sides 
were  novel  and  delightful.  The  water  in  which  the  men  struck 
their  paddles  was  pure  as  crystal.  The  air  was  perfectly  ex- 
hilarating from  its  purity.     The  distance  about  three  leagues. 

Landed  at  Point  Aux  Pins 

"We  landed  at  Point  aux  Pines,  to  range  along  the  clean 
sandy  shore,  and  sandy  plains  now  abounding  in  fine  whortle- 
berries. 

"Directly  on  putting  out  from  this,  the  broad  view  of  the 
entrance  into  the  lake  burst  upon  us.  It  is  magnificent.  A 
line  of  blue  water  stretched  like  a  thread  upon  the  horizon, 
between  cape  and  cape,  say  five  miles.     Beyond  it  is  what  the 

124 


Chippewas  call  Bub-eesh-ko-be,  meaning  the  far-off,  indistinct 
prospect  of  a  water  scene,  till  the  reality,  in  the  feeble  power 
of  human  vision,  loses  itself  in  the  clouds  and  sky. 

Point  Iroquois  and  Gross  Cape 

"The  two  prominences  of  Point  Iroquois  and  Gross  Cape 
are  very  different  in  character.  The  former  is  a  bold  eminence 
covered  with  trees,  and  having  the  appearance  of  youth  and 
verdure.  The  latter  is  but  the  end,  so  to  say,  of  a  towering 
ridge  of  dark  primary  rocks  with  a  few  stunted  cedars.  The 
first  exhibits  on  inspection  a  formation  of  sandstone  and  re- 
produced rocks,  piled  stratum  super  stratum,  and  covered  with 
boulder  drifts  and  alluvion.  The  second  is  a  massive  moun- 
tain ridge  of  the  northern  sienite,  abounding  in  black  crystaline 
hornblende,  and  flanked  at  lower  altitudes  in  front,  in  some 
places,  by  a  sort  of  trachyte.  We  clambered  up  and  over  the 
bold  undulations  of  the  latter  till  we  were  fatigued. 

"We  stood  on  the  highest  pinnacle  and  gazed  on  the  'blue 
profound'  of  Superior,  the  great  water  or  Gitchegomee  of  the 
Indians.  We  looked  down  far  below  at  the  clean  ridges  of 
pebbles  and  the  transparent  water.  After  gazing'  and  look- 
ing, and  reveling  in  the  wild  magnificence  of  views,  we  picked 
our  way,  crag  by  crag,  to  the  shore,  and  sat  down  on  the  shining 
banks  of  black,  white,  and  mottled  pebbles,  and  did  ample 
justice  to  the  contents  of  our  baskets  of  good  things. 

"This  always  restores  one's  spirits.  We  forget  the  toil  in 
the  present  enjoyment.  And  having  done  this,  and  giving  our 
last  looks  at  what  has  been  poetically  called  the  Father  of  Lakes, 
we  put  out,  with  paddles  and  song,  and  every  heart  beating 
in  unison  with  the  scene,  for  our  starting  point,  at  Ba-wa-teeg, 
alias  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

Shooting  the  Rapids 

"But  the  half  of  my  story  would  not  be  told  if  I  did  not 
add  that,  as  we  gained  the  brink  of  the  rapids,  and  began  to 
feel  the  suction  of  the  wide  current  that  leaps,  jump  after  jump, 
over  that  foaming  bed,  our  inclinations  and  our  courage  rose 
together  to  go  down  the  formidable  pass;  and  having  full  faith 
in  the  long-tried  pilotage  of  our  guide,  Tom  Shaw,  down  we 
went,  rushing  at  times  like  a  thunderbolt,  then  turned  by  a  dab 
of  the  pole  of  our  guide,  on  a  rock,  shooting  off  in  eschelon, 
and  then  careering  down  another  schute  or  water  bolt,  till  we 
thus  dodged  every  rock,  and  came  out  below  with  a  full  roar- 
ing chorus  of  our  Canadians,  who,  as  they  cleared  the  last 
danger,  hoisted  our  starry  flag  at  the  same  moment  that  they 
struck  up  one  of  their  wild  and  joyous  songs." 

This  is  about  the  first  detailed  and  personal  description 
we  have  of  the  surpassing  sport  of  rapids-shcoting  here  by  the 

125 


whites.  It  was  a  pastime  enjoyed  by  the  French  from  the  time 
they  came,  and  before  that  by  the  Indians  for  countless  gener- 
ations. The  trip  afforded  entertainment  and  thrills  for  thous- 
ands of  tourists  before  the  compensating  dam  was  erected. 

With  the  coming  of  Cass  and  Schoolcraft,  and  the  better 
treatment  accorded  the  Indians  by  the  American  Fur  Company' 
most  of  the  old  hostility  of  the  Indians  in  this  section  to  our 
Government  faded  away.  Through  the  Indian  agents  the  Gov- 
ernment frequently  made  gifts  to  the  Saulteur  Chippewas,  both 
in  mass  and  individually  as  need  arose,  and  the  latter  gradu- 
ally discontinued  their  visits  to  and  their  affiliation  with  the 
British  posts. 

Indians  Are  Given  Gifts. 

It  was  Schoolcraft's  custom  to  assemble  the  Saulteur  Chip- 
jewas  at  intervals  on  the  green  in  front  of  his  office  near  the 
bank  of  the  river  and  distribute  various  articles  of  merchandise 
among  them.  Whiskey  is  not  mentioned,  indeed  Schoolcraft 
had  a  horror  of  its  effects  on  the  Indians,  and  continually  be- 
wailed its  influence  on  particular  Indian  acquaintances  of  his. 
The  gifts  were  received  with  appreciation  and  satisfaction,  and 
helped  to  cement  his  influence  and  his  friendship  with  the 
Saulteurs.  Prominent  among  the  recipients  were  Shinga- 
bawassin,  the  Stone  Image;  Shewabeketone,  the  Man  of  Jing- 
ling Metals;  Kaugaosh,  the  Bird  in  Flight;  and  Wayishk^e,  the 
First  Born  Son.  With  them  came  the  warriors  and  the  young 
men,  the  matrons  and  the  maids,  and  the  children  of  all  ages, 
and  all  were  in  their  best  attire. 

Even  in  the  receipt  of  the  Governmental  gitts  the  Indians 
were  ceremonious.  The  functions  began  with  the  lighting  of 
the  pipes,  which  were  passed  to  the  chiefs  and  the  warriors  in 
due  order.  A  pile  of  tobacco  was  placed  before  them  for 
general  use,  which  the  chiefs  with  great  care  divided  and  dis- 
tributed, not  forgetting  the  lowest  claimant. 

Schoolcraft  was  careful  to  state  the  principles  by  which  the 
agency  was  guided  in  its  intercourse  with  them,  the  benevolence 
and  justice  of  the  views  entertained  by  their  great  father,  the 
President,  and  his  wish  to  keep  improper  traders  out  of  their 
country,  to  exclude  ardent  spirits,  and  to  secure  their  peace  and 
happiness  in  every  practicable  way.  Each  sentence,  as  it  was 
rendered  into  Indian,  was  received  with  the  response  of  Ho! — 
an  exclamation  of  approbation,  uttered  feebly  or  loudly  in 
proportion  as  the  matter  was  warmly  or  coldly  approved.  The 
chiefs  responded  in  formal  words  of  thanks,  all  were  pleased, 
the  presents  were  divided,  and  each  assembly  broke  up  in  har- 
mony and  good  will. 

This  distribution  was  continued  for  many  years  in  the  field 
below  the  rapids.      "It  does  seem,"   writes  Schoolcraft,    "that 

126 


according  to  the  oriental  maxim,  a  present  is  the  readiest  door 
to  an  Indian's  heart." 

Henry  Schoolcraft  died  December  10,  1864,  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 

A  part  of  the  duties  of  Schoolcraft  and  his  successors  as 
Indian  Agents  was  to  search  the  boats  and  outfits  of  voyageurs 
and  petty  traders  for  contraband,  and  to  grant  licenses,  pass- 
ports and  permits  to  those  applying.  This  contraband  con- 
sisted of  course  of  liquors  of  various  kinds. 

British  Traders  Excluded 

Congress  had  enacted  in  1816  that  British  traders  and  cap- 
ital should  be  excluded  from  the  American  lines  west  of  St. 
Mary's  River  and  along  the  boundary  through  Lake  Superior 
to  the  Lake  of  the  Woods.  John  Jacob  Astor  had  bought 
from  the  North  West  Company  all  the  posts  and  factories  of 
that  concern  situated  in  the  northwest,  which  were  on  the  Amer- 
ican side.  These  he  incorporated  with  the  American  Fur 
Company,  placing  Ramsay  Crooks  and  Robert  Stuart  in  charge. 
The  factors,  clerks  and  field  personnel  remained  about  as  they 
had  been  under  the  North  West  Company,  and  the  very  thin 
diffusion  of  American  principles  among  both  traders  and  In- 
dians made  it  difficult  for  the  United  States  Indian  Agents 
to  supervise  this  business  and  to  locate  and  seize  the  contraband 
liquors  constantly  filtering  through. 

When  the  Treaty  of  Prairie  du  Chien  was  negotiated  by 
the  Government  with  various  tribes  in  1825,  a  number  of 
Saulteur  Chippewas  were  present.  The  Saulteurs  and  others 
had  complained  that  the  true  reason  for  the  Commissioners 
of  the  United  States  Government  speaking  against  the  use  of 
ardent  spirits  by  the  Indians,  and  refusing  to  give  them,  was 
not  a  sense  of  its  bad  effects  so  much  as  the  fear  of  the  expense. 

The  Joke  Didn't  Take  Well 

To  show  the  Indians  that  the  government  was  above  such 
petty  principles,  The  Commissioners,  General  Clark  and  Gov- 
ernor Cass,  placed  on  the  grass  a  long  row  of  tin  camp  kettles, 
each  holding  several  gallons  of  whiskey.  After  suitable  re- 
marks each  kettle  was  emptied  on  the  ground  in  the  Indians' 
presence.  "The  thing  was  evidently  ill-relished  by  the  Indians," 
says  the  narrator,  "for  they  loved  whisky  better  than  the  joke." 

Robert  Stuart,  Agent  of  the  American  Fur  Company  at 
Mackinac  and  himself  a  teetotaler,  regularly  obtained  permits 
at  Washington  to  bring  into  this  territory  a  certain  quantity  of 
liquors  each  year.  His  statements  were  that  the  clerks  and 
fieldmen  of  the  Company  were  not  inclined  to  take  out  whisky 
under  these  permits,  but  that  the  attitude  of  their  opponents 
made  it  necessary.     Their  opponents,  of  course,  were  the  men 

127 


of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  who  still  dispensed  whisky 
north  and  east  of  the  boundary  line,  and  probably  smuggled  a 
good  deal  of  its  across.  The  Government  Indian  Agents  were 
constantly  troubled  with  the  liquor  question,  and  when  they 
resorted  for  relief  to  the  early  courts,  they  generally  found  the 
juries  against   them. 

It  appears  the  American  Fur  Company  felt  that  there  would 
be  more  efficient  hunting  and  trapping  if  the  Indians  could  be 
kept  sober  and  if  liquor  could  be  rigidly  excluded.  But  it  was 
considered  also  that  the  trade  of  the  Company  would  suffer 
if  some  whisky  were  not  furnished.  Thus  the  illicit  traffic  was 
condoned  to  some  degree,  to  the  disgust  of  the  Indian  Agents 
and  the  detriment  of  the  Indians.  The  traders  and  citizens 
generally,  on  both  sides  of  the  frontier,  were  leagued  appar- 
ently in  their  supposed  interest  to  break  down  or  to  evade  the 
Congressional  and  Territorial  laws  which  excluded  liquors  and 
made  it  an  offense  to  sell  or  to  give  them. 

Fur  Trade  Mightily  Important 

No  one  can  read  the  early  records  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  with- 
out being  impressed  with  the  enormous  importance  of  the  fur 
tiade.  The  trade  gave  the  Indians  a  market  for  the  products 
of  the  forest,  and  without  it  they  would  have  wanted  for  many 
necessaries.  But  while  it  stimulated  hunting,  and  to  a  certain 
degree,  industry  in  the  Indian  race,  it  tended  directly  to  dimin- 
ish the  animals  upon  which  they  subsisted,  and  thus  hastened 
the  decline  of  their  supremacy.  And  that  supremacy  was  fur- 
ther neutralized  of  course  by  the  trade  in  whisky. 

With  the  coming  of  Colonel  Brady  and  his  troops  to  Sault 
Ste.  Marie  in  1822  the  paramountcy  of  the  Saulteur  Chippewas 
in  this  vicinity  ended,  precisely  two  hundred  years  after  Etienne 
Brule  landed  at  the  rapids.  The  French  had  had  their  long 
day  here,  and  the  British  their  short  one.  American  civilization 
formally  took  up  the  work  of  developing  the  Sault  and  the 
north  country. 

The  troops  occupied  the  Nolin  enclosure  east  of  the  John- 
ston home  during  the  winter  of  1822-3,  and  April  19th  of 
the  latter  year  they  began  to  set  up  the  pickets  for  a  stockade 
or  fort  to  which  the  name  of  Brady  was  given,  in  honor  of 
the  commanding  officer.  The  pickets  were  cut  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  fort,  and  timbers  for  block  houses  and  the  buildings 
within  the  stockade  were  brought  from  the  Butte  de  Terre  or 
hill  south  of  the  village.  A  road  was  cut  by  the  soldiers  from 
the  cantonment  to  this  hill,  and  the  greater  part  of  this  road 
is  now  Ashmun  Street.  Old  maps  made  about  twenty  years 
later  show  only  Ashmun  Street  (then  called  Ashman)  ex- 
tending southward  as  far  as  the  hill;  Bingham  Avenue,  the 
nearest    north-and-south    road    to    the    fort    location,    reaching 

128 


only  as  far  as  the  present  line  of  Spruce  Street  and  being  known 
then  as  Church  Street. 

The  postoffice  or  federal  building  in  the  square  bounded 
by  Portage  Avenue,  Brady  Street,  Bingham  Avenue  and  Water 
Street,  stands  upon  ground  once  occupied  by  the  Fort  Brady 
enclosure.  The  Whe'pley  map  of  1854  gives  the  dimensions 
of  the  stockade  in  chains  and  links,  the  walls  on  the  east  and 
west  sides  being  approximately  600  feet  in  length,  and  on  the 
north  and  south  sides  500  feet.  Block-houses  of  heavy  timber 
were  erected  on  the  south-west  and  north-east  corners,  ex- 
tending beyond  the  walls  and  placing  the  latter  under  cross- 
fire, half  the  stockade  being  commanded  by  each  block. 

The  south  face  of  the  south-west  block-house  has  been 
marked  by  two  small  quadrangular  stones  extending  a  few 
inches  above  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  almost  hidden  by 
the  barberry  hedge  in  front  of  the  postoffice.  They  are  a  few 
feet  west  of  the  Portage  Avenue  entrance  to  the  west  door  of 
the  building.  The  line  of  the  south  wall  may  be  discerned  a 
few  feet  north  of  Portage  Avenue,  the  same  being  marked 
"LINE  OF  STOCKADE"  in  the  cement  walk  which  leads  from 
Portage  Avenue  to  the  employes'  entrance  to  the  postoffice. 
It  is  not  known  that  any  other  extensions  of  the  stockade  have 
been  marked. 

The  south  line  reached  from  the  above  block-house  mark- 
ers along  the  indicated  line  of  stockade  across  Brady  Street  to 
a  point  in  the  present  Baraga  School  yard;  thence  the  wall  ex- 
tended in  a  northerly  direction  to  and  a  little  beyond  the  brow 
of  the  hill  abutting  on  Brady  Field,  the  latter  of  course  having 
been  under  water  at  that  time;  thence  west  to  a  point  a  little 
east  of  the  semi-centennial  monument;  thence  south  across 
V/ater  Street  to  the  place  of  beginning. 


Stockade  Made  of  Cedar  Posts 

The  stockade  was  made  of  cedar  posts  about  eight  inches  in 
diameter  and  eight  feet  in  the  clear,  placed  close  together  and 
set  firmly  into  the  ground.  The  top  of  each  post  was  sharp- 
ened to  a  point,  and  at  convenient  distances  in  the  walls  and 
block-houses  loopholes  were  cut  for  observation  and  firing  pur- 
poses. 

Within  the  stockade  log  and  hewn  timber  buildings  were 
erected  for  the  garrison,  a  headquarters  building,  officers*  and 
men's  quarters,  sick  bay,  bakery,  and  others,  and  there  was  a 
fairly  commodious  parade  ground.  South  of  the  stockade  was 
the  fort  garden,  and  beyond  that  the  cemetery  of  the  post. 
The  foundation  of  the  north-east  block-house  was  at  the  river's 
edge  of  not  in  the  river,  and  water  could  be  procured  without 
going   outside  the  palisade.      When  Commissioner  Thomas  L, 

129 


McKenney  came  in  July,  1826,  he  found  the  north  pickets  of 
the  stockade  awash  in  the  stream. 

If,  as  nearly  as  can  be  determined,  the  Jesuit  missionaries' 
chapel  was  on  the  present  site  of  Dr.  F.  J.  Moloney's  home, 
the  west  line  of  the  stockade  extended  a  hundred  feet  or  so 
east  of  that  location,  and  the  fort  wal^s  probably  included  the 
plot  of  ground  which  was  once  the  missionaries'  garden.  The 
eastern  palisade  of  old  Fort  Brady  crossed  the  grounds  of  the 
old   French   Fort   of  de   Repentigny  at  Water  Street. 

Before  the  fort  buildings  were  erected,  Henry  Schoolcaft 
acted  as  librarian  for  the  post,  keeping  the  books  at  the  Indian 
Agency.  He  relinquished  this  office  to  Lieut.  S.  B.  Griswold 
on  the  erection  of  the  fort.  The  coming  of  so  many  whites 
necessitated  the  establishment  of  a  post  office,  and  upon 
Schoolcraft's  recommendation  to  the  Postmaster  General,  Lieut. 
Griswold  was  appointed  and  served  as  the  first  postmaster  of 
Sauk  Ste.  Marie. 

Officials  Cordial  to  Townspeople 

The  most  cordial  social  relations  were  maintained  by  the 
Government  officials  of  the  time  with  the  townspeople  and 
the  traders  and  the  North  West  House  officials  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  river.  Some  of  the  army  officers  were  Colonel 
Lawrence,  Captains  Clark,  Thompson  and  Beal,  Lieuts. 
Barnum,  Brant,  Waite,  Griswold  and  Folger.  The  first  Post 
Surgeon  was  Dr.  Wheaton.  Lieutenant  Brant  was  the  first 
Quartermaster. 

Among  the  townspeople  of  old  Sault  Ste.  Marie  about  the 
time  of  the  establishment  of  the  fort  were  Mr.  E.  B.  Allen, 
an  independent  trader,  and  Mr.  John  Agnew,  Collector  of 
Customs.  In  the  Canadian  Sault  there  were  Dr.  Foote  and  Mr. 
Siveright,  surgeon  and  factor  respectively  of  the  North  West 
or  Hudson's  Bay  House,  and  Mr.  C.  O.  Ermatinger  and  hi3 
son,  independent  traders.  A  favorite  diversion  of  the  winter 
months  was  a  caribou  dinner  and  a  dance  at  the  Erma- 
tinger stone  house  on  the  Canadian  side,  and  the  officers  and 
their  wives  often  crossed  on  the  ice  in  the  evening  to  dine  at 
the  Ermatinger  or  the  Siveright  homes.  Occasionally  when 
coming  home  in  their  sleighs  they  missed  the  blazes  or  ever- 
green boughs  stuck  in  the  ice  to  mark  the  path,  and  were 
pitched  into  the  snow,  for  all  the  world  like  the  convivial 
Michigan  Saulteurs  of  now-a-days  who  tarry  too  long  with  the 
liquid   delights   of  the   Dominion. 

New  Years  Celebrated  Hilariously 

New  Year's  Day  was  then,  and  continued  to  be  long  after, 
a  day  of  hilarity  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie,     Qayety  and  good  humor 

130 


appeared  everywhere,  and  visiting  from  house  to  house  was  in 
order.  Dining-room  tables  and  sideboards  were  crowded  with 
refreshments,  and  the  humblest  individual  was  welcome  and 
expected  to  make  his  appearance.  The  French  custom  of 
salutation  prevailed,  a  kiss  on  the  cheek  and  a  warm  embrace. 

Governor  Cass  visited  us  again  in  1826,  on  his  way  to 
Fond  du  Lac  to  negotiate  a  treaty  with  the  Chippewas  and 
other  tribes.  With  him  were  Colonel  Crcghan  and  Thomas  L. 
McKenney.  The  latter's  record  of  the  journey,  "Tour  to  the 
Lakes,"   contains   copious   references   to   Sault   Ste.    Marie. 

Mr.  McKenney  made  a  careful  tabulation  of  the  buildings 
in  the  village.  Most  of  them  were  one  story  structures*  and 
some  were  covered  with  bark.     The  list  is  as  follows: 

Occupied    Buildings    24 

Unoccupied    Buildings    33 

Cooper   Shop    1 

Warehouses 4 

Storehouses 4 

Bake   House    1 

Tailor  Shop    1 

Blacksmith  Shop 1 

Retail  Stores 3 

Grocery   Stores 2 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  McKenney' s  visit  there  were  in  the 
village  forty-seven  men,  thirty  women,  and  seventy-five  chil- 
dren, a  total  of  one  hundred  fifty-two.  This  probably  includes 
whites  and  Indians. 


Most  Buildings  on  Water  Front 

Most  of  these  buildings  were  on  the  river  shore,  a  street 
about  ninety  feet  wide  dividing  them  from  it.  Some  of  them 
were  on  the  north  or  river  side,  of  this  street,  and  at  the  head 
of  wharves  or  landing-places.  A  few  of  the  buildings  were 
scattered  upon  the  elevation  above  the  bank  and  upon  the 
level  plain,  which  ran  back  for  some  distance.  The  plain  was 
covered  with  undergrowth  to  the  distance  of  half  a  mile 
southward.  Beyond  that  the  growth  was  larger,  and  was  com- 
posed of  pines,  maples,  mountain  ash  and  some  elms. 

Most  of  the  building  were  occupied  by  voyageurs,  Indian 
families,  and,  says  McKenney,  "their  dogs."  The  fort  occu- 
pied a  part  of  this  level  ground  and  stood  between  the  village 
and  the  Johnston  home.  It  was  garrisoned  by  about  two  hun- 
dred troops,  commanded  by  Colonel  Lawrence.  Potatoes  of 
the  finest  quality  were  growing  on  all  sides,  and  some  oat  fields 
were  doing  well.  Peas  were  in  blossom,  and  the  strawberries 
were  just  turning.     Having  read  of  the  barrenness  of  the  north 

131 


country,   McKenney  was  amazed  at  the  productiveness  of  the 
gardens. 

On  the  Canadian  side,  Mr.  McKenney  saw  the  old  North 
West  Fur  Company's  establishment,  and  counted  about  eighty 
houses  strung  for  two  miles  below  it  on  the  north  bank.  The 
principal  one,  a  large  and  commodious  home,  was  owned  by  Mr. 
Lrmatinger.  It  was  almost  directly  opposite  the  Johnston 
family  home,  which  was  the  finest  in  the  Michigan  Sault  at 
that  time. 

Charlotte  Johnston  Beautiful 

Mr.  McKenney  dwells  at  length  on  the  grace  and  beauty 
of  Charlotte  Johnston,  who  charmed  him  with  her  vivacity,  her 
singing  and  her  loveliness.  He  was  delighted  when  she  pre- 
sented him  on  leaving  with  the  skin  of  a  waub-ojeeg,  or  white 
fisher,  saying, — "This  is  my  grand-father,  at  least  in  name.'* 
"If  this  beauty  lived  in  Washington  or  New  York,"  says 
McKenney  in  his  book,  "she  would  be  without  doubt  the  belle 
of  the  town." 

He  found  within  the  walls  of  Fort  Brady  a  school  for  white 
children,  the  first  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  the  school-master  being 
Sergeant  McCleary.  There  were  twenty-four  scholars,  only  two 
of  them  over  ten  years  of  age.  There  were  two  drawings  by  the 
Sergeant  in  the  school-room.  One  of  them  represented  a  soldier 
of  the  United  States  Army,  embracing  a  Chippewa  Chief  in  In- 
dian costume.  In  the  center  of  the  picture  was  an  eagle  with  a 
scroll  in  his  beak.  On  the  scroll  were  the  words  "Washington 
and  Lafayette,"  and  beneath  it  this  motto: 

We  are  a  firm  and  solid  brotherhood, 
Which  neither  treachery  from  within, 
Nor  assaults  from  without  can  dissolve. 

The  other  picture  was  of  the  Goddess  of  Liberty,  with  the 
words: 

NATIONAL  JUBILEE 

Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  American  Independence. 

From  a  feeble  infancy  she  has  grown  to  a 
giant's  size  and  a  giant's  strength. 
Here  may  the  oppressed  of  every  country 
find  a  refuge,  and  the  industrious  a  home. 
Our  agriculture  has  reduced  the  wilderness 
to  submission. 

Go  back  one  hundred  years  and  picture  if  you  can  this  scene 

133 


of  McKenney*s,  staged  in  the  vicinity  of  Bingham  Avenue  and 
Water  Street: 

"The  Indians  who  live  about  here  in  summer,  and  who  sub- 
sist on  the  fish  taken  by  them  in  the  rapids,  but  who  go  in  win- 
ter into  the  interior  to  hunt,  assembled  to  witness  the  inspection 
and  the  rnanoeuverings  of  the  military.  It  was  easy  to  see  that 
they  had  yielded  the  contest  for  supremacy.  They  looked  as  if 
they  believed  the  white  man  had  got  the  ascendancy.  They  sat 
in  groups  upon  the  green,  upon  their  hams,  as  is  their  custom, 
their  bodies  naked,  with  a  blanket  around  their  hips,  smoking 
their  pipes — silent,  but  watchful 

Smoking  Seemed  an  Essential 

"The  pipe  of  an  Indian  is  generally  from  two  and  a  half  to 
three  feet  long.  This,  and  the  pouch  made  of  the  skin  of  some 
animal,  in  which  he  carries  his  kinnikanic,  a  kind  of  fragrant 
weed  that  has  a  leaf  like  our  box-wood,  and  is  gathered  from  a 
vine,  or  his  tobacco,  or  both,  are  his  constant  companions. 

"The  first  thing  he  does  on  sitting  down,  is  to  take  out  of 
this  pouch  some  of  these  leaves,  and  if  he  has  it,  some  tobacco. 
The  tobacco  he  holds  between  his  finger  and  his  thumb,  and  cuts 
it  slowly  with  his  knife  into  small  particles,  which  drop  into  the 
palm  of  his  hand,  then  rubbing  them  there  with  his  fingers 
into  powder,  he  presses  it  into  the  bowl  of  his  pipe.  By  means 
of  a  steel  and  flint,  he  strikes  fire  into  a  bit  of  punk,  and  lights 
his  pipe.  He  then  rests  the  bowl  on  the  ground,  or  the  stem 
on  his  knee,  and  putting  the  other  end  in  his  mouth,  smokes 
until  he  envelopes  himself  with  these  fumes,  which,  if  the  wind 
shouM  happen  not  to  blow,  is  soon  done. 

"Thus  seated,  and  thus  smoking,  the  Indians  of  this  post 
watch  the  movements  of  the  military.  The  little  naked  Indian 
boys,  and  hardly  better  clad  girls,  were  meanwhile  sporting  over 
the  green,  playing  ball, — bag-gat-iway,  caring  no  more  about  the 
military  than  the  military  cared  about  them. 

This  ball-playing  is  not  unlike  our  game  of  bandy.  We 
strike  the  baU,  you  know,  with  a  little  stick,  curved  at  the  end; 
they  catch  it  up  with  a  dexterity  which  for  my  life  I  could  not 
imitate,  with  a  stick  having  a  little  pocket  at  one  end,  about 
twice  the  size  of  the  ball  and  made  of  net-work. 

"With  this,  and  when  in  full  run,  they  strike  the  ball,  and 
dexteriously  take  it  up,  flourish  it  over  their  heads,  and  run  and 
throw  it  as  they  think  proper,  when  the  whole  group  give  chase 
to  overtake  it  and  change  its  direction.  These  boys  and  girls 
are  as  nimble  as  fawns,  and  fleet  as  the  wind." 

$1,000  Appropriated  Annually 

Perhaps  the  memory  of  those  merry  little  Saulteurs,  untut- 
ored as  they  were,  went  up  the  lake  with  Commissioner  McKen- 

133 


ney.  Article  VI.  of  the  treaty  of  Fond  du  Lac,  concluded  by 
him  and  Governor  Cass  with  the  Chippewas,  reads  as  follows: 

"With  a  view  to  the  improvement  of  the  Indian  youths,  it  is 
also  agreed  that  an  annual  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars  sha1!  be 
appropriated  to  the  support  of  an  establishment  for  their  educa- 
tion, to  be  located  on  some  part  of  the  St.  Mary's  River,  and 
the  money  to  be  expended  under  the  direction  of  the  President; 
and  for  the  accommodation  of  such  school  a  section  of  land  is 
hereby  granted." 

This  treaty  in  its  entirety  was  signed  by  the  Saulteur  Chiefs 
Shingauba-Wossin,  Shewaubeketoan,  Wayishkee,  and  Sheegud. 

On  their  return  to  the  Sault,  the  party  came  ashore  by  way 
of  the  race  or  canal  which  had  been  cut  by  the  soldiers  to  let  in 
the  water  for  a  saw-mill.  The  mill  had  been  destroyed  by  fire 
a  short  time  before. 

A  census  of  the  Lake  Superior  Indians,  under  the  circum- 
stances very  incompete  and  uncertain,  was  taken  by  Governor 
Cass  on  this  journey.  From  Mackinac  and  the  Sault  to  the  Fond 
du  Lac,  or  head  of  the  lake  at  the  St.  Louis  River,  the  Chip- 
pewa Indians  were  estimated  to  number  about  eight  thousand. 
The  fur  business  was  at  a  low  ebb,  the  receipts  at  the  Sault  for 
a  twelve  months  period  having  been  only  a  thousand  dollars  in 
value,  being  principally  beaver  and  otter  skins. 

"Doomed  to  Barreness" 

As  for  agricultural  prospects, — "I  consider,' *  says  ivlcKen- 
ney,  "this  whole  region  doomed  to  perpetual  barrenness." 

He  was  wrong.  He  might  have  known  better  after  his 
glimpse  of  the  gardens  at  the  Sault.  A  thousand  fertile  farms 
in  Chippewa  County  alone  laugh  yearly  at  the  foolish  predic- 
tions of  McKenney  and  La  Hontan.  In  this  regard  at  least  they 
were  superficial  observers. 

The  Commissioner's  eyes  and  his  heart  were  sound,  if  his 
prophecies  were  not.  On  leaving  for  Detroit,  he  bade  farewell 
to  Charlotte  with  the  deepest  regret,  and  grieved  exceedingly 
because  he  could  not  take  her  with  him.  Some  years  later  she 
became  the  bride  of  the  Reverend  Mr  MacMurray,  Protestant 
Episcopal  missionary  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Canada. 

Late  in  the  autumn  of  1823,  or  exactly  a  century  ago,  the 
Reverend  Robert  McMurtrie  Laird,  of  Princess  Anne,  Mary- 
land, an  unheralded  stranger,  came  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie  as  its 
first  Protestant  clergyman.  The  annals  of  Schoolcraft  do  not 
mention  his  denomination.  "No  power  but  God's,"  writes  that 
author  in  his  Memoirs  for  the  year,  "could  have  directed  his 
footsteps  here.  The  Indian  wabeno  drum,  proclaiming  the  for- 
est tribes  to  be  under  the  influence  of  their  native  diviners  and 
jossakeeds,  was  nightly  sending  forth  its  monotonous  sounds. 
But  he  did  not  come  to  them.  His  object  was  the  soldiery  anc 
settlement,  to  whom  he  could  utter  truths  in  the  English  tongue. 

134 


Enough  "to  Try  a  Saint'* 

"He  was  assigned  quarters  in  the  cantonment,  where  an 
entire  battalion  of  infantry  was  then  stationed.  To  all  these, 
but  one  single  family,  it  may  be  said  that  his  preaching  was  re- 
ceived as  "sounding  brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal."  Certainly 
there  were  the  elements  of  almost  everything  else  but  religion. 
And  while  occupying  a  room  in  the  fort,  his  fervent  and  holy 
spirit  was  often  tried 

'By  most  unseemly  mirth  and  wassail  rife.' 

"He  came  to  see  me,  at  my  office  at  my  lodgings,  fre- 
quently during  the  season,  and  never  came  when  he  did  not  ap- 
pear to  me  to  be  one  of  the  purest  and  most  devoted,  yet  gen- 
tie  and  unostentatious,  of  human  beings.  It  is  hoped  his  labors 
were  not  without  some  witness  to  the  truths  which  he  so  faith- 
fully taught.  But  as  soon  as  the  straits  were  relieved  from  the 
icy  fetters  of  winter,  he  went  away,  never  perhaps  to  see  us 
more." 

Such  was  the  left-handed  welcome  accorded  the  first  clergy- 
man of  any  branch  of  the  Christian  faith  to  visit  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  in  one  hundred  twenty-seven  years.  If  any  other  com- 
munity on  earth  needed  religion  more  than  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
did  at  that  time,  no  one  knows  its  location. 

The  Reverend  Alvin  Coe,  Congregationalist,  was  the  next 
Protestant  clergyman  to  visit  the  Sault,  apparently  on  behalf  of 
the  U.  S.  Indian  Bureau.  In  1828  the  latter  was  expending 
considerable  time  and  effort  in  an  endeavor  to  enlarge  and  im- 
prove its  methods  of  instructing  the  Indians  along  various  prac- 
tical lines,  and  Mr.  Coe  spent  several  months  at  the  Sault  in  that 
year,  probably  in  a  secular  capacity. 

Baptist  Preacher  Arrives 

He  was  here  when  the  Reverend  Abel  Bingham  came  to 
make  his  home  in  the  village  by  the  rapids.  Mr.  Bingham  was 
sent  here  as  a  missionary  by  the  American  Baptist  Missionary 
Society.  He  found  himself  in  a  small  community  of  Americans, 
Frenchmen,  Indians  and  half-breeds,  and  four  companies  of 
soldiers.  There  was  a  card  table  in  every  cabin,  and  fifteen 
thousand  gallons  of  whisky  were  in  dealers'  and  in  private 
hands,  which  it  was  hoped  would  be  sufficient,  with  care,  to 
supply  the  needs  of  the  inhabitants  until  spring.  This  was 
in  October. 

Mr.  Bingham  at  once  proceeded  to  organize  a  temperance 
society  and  a  school.  The  sessions  of  the  latter  were  held  in  a 
building  which  stood  within  the  square  whereon  the  Chippewa 
County  Court  House  now  stands,  close  to  the  road  first  named 
Church  Street,  probably  because  of  the  old  mission  church  at  its 

135 


foot,  and  afterward  Bingham  Avenue.     He  soon  had  over  fifty 
scholars,   most  of  them  learned  the  alphabet  from  him. 

Shocked  at  the  almost  universal  local  intemperance,  Mr. 
Bingham  set  out  resolutely  to  procure  signatures  to  a  teetotaler 
pledge.  He  asked  the  Saulteur  Chief  Kabanodin  to  sign,  and 
the  chief  replied:  "If  my  mouth  were  sewed  up  and  my  legs 
tied  together,  possibly  I  might  keep  from  drinking."  But  he 
scrawled  his  signature  to  the  pledge  and  became  a  very  tem- 
perate man. 

The  Sault  Goes  Dry 

Whisky  was  part  of  the  daily  ration  of  the  soldiers,  and  they 
were  permitted  to  buy  additional  drinks  at  the  fort  canteen. 
The  Sault  traders  sold  whisky  as  commonly  as  they  sold  flour 
and  sugar.  The  Indians  who  had  the  price  could  get  all  they 
wanted,  and  they  wanted  a  great  deal.  Drunkenness  was  com- 
mon and  was  taken  as  a  matter  of  course. 

Mr.  Bingham  induced  the  Fort  Commandant  to  head  a 
community  pledge,  and  after  two  years'  hard  work  the  wettest 
spot  on  the  continent  was  dry  as  a  bone,  for  a  time  at  least. 
The  local  traders  cleaned  up  their  stocks  and  kept  out  of  the 
business,  no  doubt  with  considerable  sacrifices,  the  fort  canteen 
was  closed  to  liquor  sales,  and  the  Indian  Agent  and  his  sub- 
agent  ceased  to  dispense  the  stuff  to  the  Indians. 

Mr.  Bingham  lived  in  the  ground  floor  rooms  of  his  house, 
and  held  school  and  church  services  on  the  second  floor.  After- 
ward he  built  a  separate  school  building  which  stood  on  what 
are  now  the  Junior  High  School  grounds,  and  which  was  placed 
nearly  at  the  corner  of  the  present  Maple  Street  and  Bingham 
Avenue.  He  held  regular  meetings  at  Fort  Brady,  and  many 
soldiers  united  with  the  Mission  Church.  Afterward  when  the 
command  was  ordered  to  Chicago,  these  soldiers  participated 
in  the  organization  of  the  first  Baptist  Church  in  that  city. 

Mr.  Bingham  Adopts  Indian  Lad 

Mr.  Bingham,  Dr.  James,  post  surgeon,  and  Indian  Inter- 
preter John  Tanner  translated  into  the  Chippewa  language  a 
portion  of  the  Bible  in  the  winter  of  1831-2,  and  the  translation 
was  published  under  Baptist  auspices.  These  Indian  Bibles  Mr. 
Bingham  carried  with  him  in  his  ministrations  to  the  natives, 
and  he  dispensed  as  well  some  simple  remedies  for  their  ail- 
ments. Once,  in  the  winter,  he  found  nearly  all  the  Indians  at 
Goulais  Bay  dead  or  dying  of  smallpox.  Of  one  family  there 
was  none  left  but  a  boy  four  years  old.  He  had  no  clothing 
but  a  few  rags,  so  Mr.  Bingham  wrapped  the  naked  little  body 
in  his  great-coat  and  brought  the  orphan  on  his  dog-train 
down  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  The  little  fellow  was  uncommonly 
bright,  learned  quickly,  and  lived  several  years  with  Mr.  Bing- 
ham.    Years  after  he  enlisted  in  the  United  States  Army  and 

136 


made  an  excellent  record  as  a  soldier,   serving  throughout  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion  in  the  field. 

The  Rev.  Jeremiah  Porter 

The  Reverend  Jeremiah  Porter,  a  Presbyterian  clergyman, 
came  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie  in  1831  direct  from  his  seminary,  this 
being  his  first  charge.  He  accepted  the  hospitality  of  Henry 
Schoolcraft  on  his  arrival,  was  cordially  received  by  Mr.  Bing- 
ham, and  preached  his  first  sermon  in  the  latter' s  pulpit.  He 
soon  organized  the  first  Presbyterian  church  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
of  which  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schoolcaft,  Mrs.  John  Johnston,  John 
Hulbert,  sutler  at  the  post  canteen,  and  Mr.  Bela  Chapman 
were  charter  members. 

This  congregation  met  in  an  old  store  building  close  to  the 
Johnston  home,  the  same  being  loaned  by  Mrs.  Johnston  for 
that  purpose.  In  the  fall  of  1832,  Mrs.  Johnston,  daughter  of 
the  Indian  Chief  Waub-ojeeg  and  a  full-blooded  Indian  woman, 
built  a  church  edifice,  small  but  substantial,  and  presented  it  to 
Mr.  Porter  and  his  flock.  This  is  believed  to  have  been  the 
first  instance  in  America  where  a  man  or  woman,  Indian  by 
father  and  mother,  constructed  and  devoted  a  building  to  the 
cause  of  Christianity,  a  really  remarkable  occurrence.  The 
building  has  disappeared  long  since,  but  the  memory  of  that 
gift  should  not  be  allowed  to  perish. 

Hither  came  also  the  Reverend  William  Boutwell  about 
this  time  to  study  the  Chippewa  tongue,  and  to  prepare  him- 
self for  a  mission  at  La  Pointe.  Accessions  to  the  two  little 
churches  were  numerous,  when,  in  1833,  Major  Fowle,  then 
commandant  at  Fort  Brady,  removed  his  troops  to  Fort  Dear- 
born at  Chicago.  Mr.  Porter  went  with  them  to  the  scraggly 
village  at  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan,  and  in  the  same  year  he 
organized  the  first  Presbyterian  congregation  in  Chicago.  The 
town  at  that  time  had  three  hundred  inhabitants,  a  fewer  num- 
ber indeed  than  the  population  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  if  the  lat- 
ter's usual  quota  of  soldiers  were  counted.  So  it  came  about 
that  Sault  Ste.  Marie  mothered  the  Baptist  and  Presbyterian  de- 
nominations in  Chicago,  since  become  mighty.  And  through 
these  out-going  missionaries  and  their  labors  here,  the  little  vil- 
lage by  the  rapids  redeemed  itself  from  the  reproach  of  god- 
lessness. 

Nor  were  the  Protestant  sects  alone  in  good  works  of  the 
period.  The  Roman  Catholic  Church  re-established  itself  here 
after  the  lapse  intervening  from  the  death  of  the  Reverend 
Father  Albanel,  and  in  1834  Bishop  Rese  confirmed  a  class 
of  about  one  hundred  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  Two  years  later  the 
Reverend  Father  Pierz  came  as  a  resident  priest,  and  in  the 
following  year  a  handsome  church  edifice  was  erected  very 
nearly  on  the  site  of  the  present  church  building. 

137 


M.  E.  Pastor  Ccmes  in  1834 

To  these  early  activities  must  be  added  those  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  which  established  a  mission  about  1834 
at  the  Little  Rapids,  near  the  present  site  of  the  Country  Club. 
The  best  remembered  of  its  clergymen  here  in  that  early  day 
is  the  Reverend  John  H.  Pitezel,  who  has  left  the  narrative  of 
his  labors  in  a  volume  entitled  "Lights  and  Shadows  of  a  Mis- 
sionary's Life." 

The  buildings  of  the  first  Methodist  mission  were  erected  on 
Government  Reserve  land  near  the  Little  Rapids,  and  included 
the  missionary's  home,  a  chape1,  and  some  farm  quarters.  There 
was  a  day  school  in  connection  with  the  mission.  Mr.  Pitezel 
became  superintendent  of  Methodist  Missions  in  the  north  coun- 
try and  left  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  At  the  event  of  the  war  with 
Mexico  in  1846,  the  troops  at  Fort  Brady  were  ordered  to  the 
Mexican  frontier,  and  the  mission  appears  to  have  been  discon- 
tinued shortly  afterward. 

The  Government  Reserve  mentioned  was  of  course  the 
land  transferred  to  the  United  States  by  the  Chippewas  in  their 
treaty  of  1820  with  Governor  Cass.  This  tract  was  described 
as  the  territory  within  a  boundary  beginning  at  the  Big  Rock 
(since  known  as  the  Treaty  Rock,  at  the  head  of  the  water- 
power  canal)  on  the  shore  of  the  River  St.  Mary,  running  thence 
down  the  middle  of  the  river  to  the  Little  Rapids,  the  line  ex- 
tending back  from  the  river  a  sufficient  distance  to  set  off  in 
all  sixteen  square  miles.  By  the  terms  of  the  treaty  the  Chip- 
pewas reserved  perpetual  fishing  and  camping  rights  within  this 
reserve. 

Bishop  Frederick  Baraga 

The  Reverend  Father  Frederic  Baraga  v/as  stationed  at  Sault 
Ste.  Marie  for  a  short  time  in  1846.  This  celebrated  church- 
man was  born  in  Austria  in  1  797,  was  destined  for  the  law,  but 
entered  the  priesthoovi  and  came  to  America  in  1830.  He 
labored  for  many  years  among  the  Chippewas  at  La  Pointe, 
bringing  many  of  them  from  paganism  to  Christianity.  In  1853 
he  was  made  vicar-apostolic  of  Upper  Michigan,  and  a  few 
years  later,  when  the  diocese  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  was  erected, 
he  was  appointed  first  bishop  of  the  new  see. 

Bishop  Baraga  made  his  episcopal  residence  in  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  during  the  years  1859-65.  After  becoming  bishop  he 
continued  his  former  life  of  activity  and  exposure,  often  walk- 
ing forty  miles  a  day  on  snow-shoes  while  making  his  visitations. 
He  was  a  prolific  writer,  and  some  of  his  works  compiled  here  or 
in  this  vicinity  are  "The  Otchipwe  Grammar  and  Dictionary," 
"History  of  the  Indians,"  "Bible  History,"  and  "Catechisms 
in  the  Otchipwe  Language." 

When  the  episcopal  see  was  transferred     to  Marquette     in 

138 


1865,  Bishop  Baraga  was  named  bishop  of  the  combined  dio- 
cese of  Marquette  and  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  He  died  at  Marquette 
in  1868. 

When  the  Reverend  Mr.  Pitezel  went  to  L'Anse  to  take 
charge  of  the  Methodist  Mission,  he  found  Father  Baraga  there, 
and  the  two  became  good  friends.  There  is  a  pleasing  reference 
to  the  Catholic  missionary  in  Mr.  Pitezel' s  book: 

"Reverend  Father  Frederick  Baraga  was  the  resident  priest 
at  L'Anse  at  our  arrival.  He  spoke  readily  six  or  seven  living 
languages,  including  German,  French,  English  and  Ojibway. 
He  spent  years  on  the  shores  of  Superior,  building  a  church  and 
making  extensive  improvements.  He  traveled  extensively  on 
foot  and  by  all  methods  then  in  use.  Temperate  in  his  habits, 
devout  and  dignified  in  his  private  and  ministerial  bearing,  he 
was  universally  respected  by  the  Indians  and  mining  commun- 
ity, and  affectionately  loved  by  those  in  closer  fellowship." 

Chippewa  Is  Made  a  County 

Meanwhile,  years  before  Michigan  was  made  a  state,  the 
County  of  Chippewa  was  organized,  the  Act  taking  effect  Feb. 
1st,  1826.  And  what  a  county  it  was!  Beginning  at  Isle  St. 
Vital  on  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Huron,  running  due  north 
until  its  strikes  the  river  (unnamed  then,  now  the  Munoskong) 
which  falls  into  the  northwest  part  of  Muddy  Lake,  of  the  River 
St.  Mary;  thence  up  that  river  (the  Munoskong)  to  its  source; 
thence  west  to  Meristic  River  of  Lake  Michigan;  thence  up  that 
river  to  latitude  46  degrees  31  minutes;  thence  west  to  the  Miss- 
issippi River;  thence  up  that  river  to  its  source;  thence  north  to 
the  boundary  line  of  the  United  States,  and  with  that  line  re- 
turning through  Lake  Superior  to  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Mary's 
River,  and  thence  southwest  to  the  place  of  beginning;  these  are 
the  one  time  limits  of  Chippewa  County. 

Thus  the  Mesaba  iron  range  of  Minnesota,  the  sites  of  Du- 
luth,  Superior,  Marquette,  Houghton,  and  all  the  famous  Cop- 
per Country  were  once  a  part  of  Chippewa  County.  The  county 
seat  was  established  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  The  county  court  was 
empowered  to  try  all  suits  arising  in  this  district  save  those 
pending  before  the  United  States  district  court  at  Mackinac, 
Chippewa  having  been  set  off  from  the  latter  county. 

This  tremendous  and  unwieldy  empire  of  a  county  was  re- 
duced by  the  Act  of  March  9,   1843,  to  the  following  limits: 

Beginning  at  a  point  on  a  line  between  Ranges  1  2  and  1  3 
to  the  intersection  of  that  line  by  the  north  boundary  of  Town 
45;  thence  north  to  Lake  Superior;  thence  east  and  south  along 
the  margin  of  the  lake  and  the  west  bank  of  St.  Mary's  River 
to  Lake  Huron;  thence  west  to  a  point  on  Lake  Huron  south 
of  the  line  between  Ranges  2  and  3  east,  thence  north  and  west 
along  the  boundary  line  of  Michilimackinac  County  to  the  place 

139 


of  beginning;  together  with  Drummond's  Island,  Sugar  Island, 
Neebish  Island,  and  smaller  contiguous  islands  in  St.  Mary's 
River. 

Have  Been  Part  of  Indiana. 

The  Michigan  Upper  Peninsula  of  which  we  are  a  part  was  a 
"Nobody's  Baby"  of  a  land  for  many  decades.  Kicked  about 
from  pillar  to  post,  it  was  despised  and  considered  worthless. 
Originally  the  domain  of  prehistoric  workers  in  copper  who  left 
no  records  but  their  tools  and  utensils,  it  became  the  domain 
cf  the  Chippewas  and  the  Sioux.  Then  the  French  came,  and 
were  ousted  by  the  English.  Our  government  succeeded,  and 
the  hazy  and  obscure  claims  upon  us  of  Massachusetts  and 
Connecticut,  New  York  and  Virginia.  We  found  peace  for  a 
time  but  no  consideration  as  a  part  of  North-West  Territory. 
When  Ohio  was  carved  from  this  vast  region,  what  was  left 
became  known  as  Indiana  Territory,  so  we  have  been  a  part  of 
Indiana.  In  1805,  that  part  of  the  pper  Peninsula  east  of  a 
line  through  the  middle  of  Lake  Michigan  became  part  of  the 
Michigan  Territory.  Then  the  Territory  of  Illinois  was 
created,  extending  north  to  the  national  boundary,  but  the 
east  line  of  Illinois  was  drawn  north  from  Fort  Vincennes,  leav- 
ing the  central  part  of  the  Peninsula  isolated  and  belonging 
nominally  to  Indiana.  In  some  quarters  it  was  proposed  to 
give  this  back  to  the  Indians  in  perpetuity,  but  the  lost  block 
finally  came  into  the  Michigan  fold. 

The  way  of  itj  coming  was  this.  When  Michigan  was  a 
Territory,  in  the  first  decade  of  the  last  century,  her  southern 
boundary  was  a  line  drawn  eastward  from  the  southernmost 
point  of  Lake  Michigan.  Thus  the  Territory  included  the  mouth 
of  the  Maumee  River  and  the  village  of  Toledo,  and  its  boun- 
dary touched  upon  the  western  confines  of  Pennsylvania. 


Given  to  Michigan  as  a  Compromise. 

At  the  time  we  applied  for  statehood  Ohio  claimed  Toledo 
and  the  Maumee  Strip,  fifteen  miles  wide  and  at  our  southern 
border.  The  Attorney  General  of  the  United  States  awarded 
this  strip  to  Michigan,  but  the  young  and  feeble  Territory 
lacked  the  necessary  pull  in  congress  to  hold  it.  Ohio  and 
Indiana  exerted  influence  enough  in  our  legislative  halls  to 
prevent  the  admission  of  Michigan  to  the  Union.  The  matter 
was  finally  compromised  by  the  confirmation  to  Michigan  of  the 
Upper  Peninsula  as  it  now  stands.  The  compromise  did  not 
please  all  the  people  of  the  Lower  Peninsula.  We  were  de- 
rided, belittled,  ridiculed,  and  called  not  worth  a  dollar.  We 
have  been  vindicated,  however,  and  the  world  has  paid  many 
millions  of  dollars  for  the  Upper  Peninsula's  iron  and  copper, 
lumber,  agricutural  products  and  fish. 

140 


Chippewa  County  and  the  Upper  Peninsula  seem  destined 
to  become  one  of  the  greatest  playgrounds  of  the  nation. 
Increasing  thousand  of  tourists  throng  here  yearly,  to  enjoy 
this  glorious  summer  land  of  lakes  and  leisure. 

A  State  of  Superior  Predicted. 

Geographically,  we  form  an  entity  of  our  own  in  the 
Upper  Peninsula.  Once  we  had  at  Lansing  a  Great  Father  who 
was  one  of  us,  and  who  loved  and  listened  to  his  white  Saulteurs, 
Sioux,  Ottawas  and  Menominees  of  the  Northland.  But 
Lansing  is  far  away,  with  the  wide  Straits  between,  and  gener- 
ally our  Great  Father  is  busy  with  other  things,  discerning  but 
feebly  the  voices  of  his  distant  northern  children.  Out  of  this 
political  isolation  it  is  likely  there  v/ill  come  in  time  the  erection 
of  the  great  State  of  Superior,  with  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  of 
course,  as  its  capital. 

Of  the  fifteen  counties  in  the  Upper  Peninsula,  Chippewa, 
Mackinac,  Menominee,  Gogebic,  Ontonagon  and  Keweenaw 
derive  their  names  from  Indian  sources;  Baraga,  Schoolcraft  and 
Marquette  are  named  for  former  residents  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie; 
Dickinson,  Luce  and  Alger  commemorate  prominent  citizens 
of  the  Lower  Peninsula;  Houghton  keeps  the  memory  of  Dr. 
Douglass  Houghton,  geologist;  the  name  of  Iron  County  is 
self-explanatory,  and  Delta  was  so  named  by  early  settlers  who 
fancied  they  saw  in  its  shore  lines  a  resemblance  to  the  mouths 
of  the  Nile. 

Never  have  the  Saulteurs  entertained  a  more  charming  and 
appreciative  visitor  than  Mrs.  Jameson,  who  visited  this  region 
in  1837,  while  Chippewa  county  still  stretched  its  gigantic  length 
to  the  Mississippi.  Steamers  were  already  making  regular  trips 
from  Detroit  to  Chicago,  and  she  came  up  to  Mackinac  on  the 
"Thomas  Jefferson"  and  was  there  the  guest  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Henry  Schoolcraft.  She  visited  the  Sault  with  Mrs.  Schoolcraft, 
and  embodied  her  observations  in  the  now  very  rare  but  always 
delightful  English  edition  of  her  "Winter  Studies  and  Summer 
Rambles." 

Mrs.  Jameson  was  impelled  to  take  the  trip  into  the  wild 
and  remote  country  of  Lake  Huron  and  Superior,  after  reading 
"The  Travels  and  Adventures  of  Alexander  Henry."  Even 
then,  she  writes,  "his  book  has  long  been  out  of  print.  I  had 
the  greatest  difficulty  in  procuring  the  loan  of  a  copy  after  send- 
ing to  Montreal,  Quebec,  and  New  York  in  vain.  Mr.  Henry 
is  the  Ulysses  of  these  parts;  and  to  cruise  among  the  shores, 
rocks  and  islands  of  Lake  Huron  without  Henry's  Travels,  were 
like  coasting  Cambria  and  Sicily  without  the  Odyssey  in  your 
head  or  hand." 

Indian  Cuts  Off  Own  Leg 

Mrs.  Schoolcraft  regaled  the  newcomer  with  some  fascinat- 

141 


ing  stories  of  Indian  fortitude.  A  Saulteur  Chippewa  was  hunt- 
ing, when  by  chance  a  blighted  pine  tree  fell  upon  him  and 
fractured  his  leg,  pinning  him  to  the  earth.  He  was  in  a  lone- 
some place,  without  the  probability  of  passing  aid;  and  to  lie 
there  and  starve  in  agony  seemed  all  that  was  left  to  him.  In 
his  dilemma  he  took  out  his  knife,  and  with  all  the  contempt  of 
pain  of  the  thorough-bred  Indian,  he  cut  off  his  leg  at  the  point 
of  fracture,  and  bound  up  the  stump.  Then  he  dragged  himself 
along  the  ground  to  his  canoe  and  paddled  home  to  his  wigwam, 
where  in  time  the  cure  of  his  wound  was  accomplished. 

The  arm  of  another  young  Chippewa  hunter  was  shattered 
by  the  bursting  of  his  rifle.  No  one  would  venture  the  ampu- 
tation, and  the  arm  was  bound  up  with  herbs  and  dressings 
and  the  usual  incantations  of  the  jossakeeds.  Biding  his  time 
until  he  was  alone,  the  sufferer  with  difficulty  hacked  one  of 
his  knives  into  a  saw.  With  this  he  amputated  his  arm.  When 
his  relatives  returned  they  found  the  severed  member  lying  at 
one  end  of  the  wigwam  and  the  patient  sitting  at  the  other, 
smoking  tranquilly  and  with  his  wound  bound  up. 

Mrs.  Jameson  explains  the  reason  for  the  naming  of  Detour, 
the  pretty  village  and  point  at  the  mouth  of  St.  Mary's  River, 
opposite  Drummond  Island. 

Detour  Gets  Its  Name 

"Soon  after  sunrise  we  passed  around  that  very  conspicu- 
ous cape,  famous  in  the  history  of  northwest  adventure,  and 
called  the  Grand  Detour,  half-way  between  Mackinac  and  the 
Sault.  Now,  if  you  look  at  the  map  you  will  see  that  our  course 
was  henceforth  quite  altered;  we  had  been  running  down  the 
coast  of  the  mainland  towards  the  east;  we  had  now  to  turn 
short  round  the  point,  and  steer  almost  due  west;  hence  its  most 
fitting  name,  the  Grand  Detour." 

This  name  of  Detour,  bestowed  by  the  French  in  the  old 
days  of  canoe  travel,  looks  uncommonly  like  that  of  Detroit 
when  hastily  written.  The  resemblance  caused  so  much  con- 
fusion in  the  mails  that  Postmaster  Roderick  Munro  of  the 
village  asked  and  obtained  the  consent  of  the  Postoffice  De- 
partment to  designate  officially  the  name  of  the  village  as  De 
Tour.  He  thus  restored  the  exact  and  original  French  term 
for  the  place  before  usage  compressed  the  two  words  into 
one, — meaning  "The  Turning." 

One  of  the  Graces  Possessed  by  a  Fury 

"The  rapids  of  Niagara,"  continued  Mrs.  Jameson  on  her 
arrival  at  the  Sault,  "reminded  me  of  a  monstrous  tiger  at  play, 
and  threw  me  into  a  sort  of  ecstatic  terror.  But  these  rapids 
of  St.  Mary  suggest  quite  another  idea.     As  they  come  fretting 

142 


and  fuming  down,  curling  up  their  light  foam  and  wreathing 
their  glancing  billows  around  the  opposing  rocks  with  a  sort  of 
passionate  self-will,  they  remind  me  of  an  exquisitely  beautiful 
woman  in  a  fit  of  rage,  or  of  Walter  Scott's  simile — 'one  of  the 
Graces  possessed  of  a  Fury.'  There  is  no  terror  in  their  anger, 
only  the  sense  of  excitement  and  loveliness;  when  it  has  spent 
this  sudden,  transient  fit  of  impatience,  the  beautiful  river  re- 
sumes all  its  placid  dignity,  and  holds  on  its  course,  deep  and 
wide  enough  to  float  a  squadron  of  seventy-fours,  and  rapid 
and  pellucid  as  a  mountain  trout  stream. 

"Here,  as  everywhere  else,  I  am  struck  by  the  difference 
between  the  two  shores.  On  the  American  side  there  is  a  set- 
tlement of  whites,  as  well  as  a  large  village  of  Chippewas;  there 
is  also  a  mission  (I  believe  of  the  Methodists),  for  the  con- 
version of  the  Indians.  The  fort,  which  has  been  lately 
strengthened,  is  merely  a  strong  and  high  enclosure  surrounded 
with  pickets  of  cedar-wood;  within  the  stockade  are  the  bar- 
racks and  the  principal  trading  store.  This  fortress  is  called 
Fort  Brady. 

"The  garrison  may  be  very  effective  for  aught  I  know, 
but  I  never  beheld  such  an  unmilitary-looking  set.  When  I  was 
there  today,  the  sentinels  were  lounging  up  and  down  in  their 
flannel  jackets  and  shirt  sleeves,  with  muskets  thrown  over 
their  shoulders— just  for  all  the  world  like  ploughboys  going 
to  shoot  sparrows;  however,  they  are  in  keeping  with  the  fort- 
ress of  cedar-posts,  and  no  doubt  both  answer  their  purpose 
very  well.  The  village  is  increasing  into  a  town,  and  the  com- 
mercial advantages  of  its  situation  must  raise  it  ere  long  to  a 
place   of   importance. 

"On  the  Canada  side  we  have  not  even  these  demonstrations 
of  power  or  prosperity.  Nearly  opposite  the  American  fort 
there  is  a  small  factory  belonging  to  the  North-West  Fur  Com- 
pany; below  this  a  few  log  huts  occupied  by  some  French  Can- 
adians and  voyageurs  in  the  service  of  the  company,  a  set  of 
lawless  mauvais  sujets,  from  all  I  can  learn. 

"Lower  down  stands  the  house  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  MacMurray, 
with  the  Chippewa  village  under  their  care  and  tuition;  but 
most  of  the  wigwams  of  their  inhabitants  are  now  on  their  way 
down  the  lake,  to  join  the  congress  at  the  Manitoulin  Islands. 
A  lofty  eminence,  partly  cleared  and  partly  clothed  with  forest, 
nses  behind  the  house,  on  which  stands  the  little  mission  church 
and  school-house  for  the  use  of  the  Indian  converts. 

The  Whstef kh  cf  St.  Marys 

"The  whitefish  of  St.  Mary's  is  a  most  luxurious  delicacy. 
It  is  said  that  the  people  never  tire  of  them.  The  enormous 
quantities  caught  here  and  in  the  bays  and  creeks  round  Lake 
Superior,  remind  me  of  herrings  in  the  lochs  of  Scotland.      Be- 

143 


sides  subsisting  the  inhabitants,  whites  and  Indians,  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  year,  vast  quantities  are  cured  and  barrelled 
every  fall  and  sent  down  to  the  eastern  states.  Not  less  than 
eight  thousand  barrels  were  shipped  last  year. 

"These  enterprising  Yankees  have  seized  upon  another  pro- 
fitable speculation  here.  There  is  a  fish  found  in  great  quantities 
in  Lake  Superior  called  the  skevat,  so  exceedingly  rich,  luscious 
and  oily,  when  fresh,  as  to  be  quite  uneatable.  It  has  lately 
been  discovered  that  this  fish  makes  a  most  luxurious  pickle. 
It  is  becoming  a  fashionable  luxury,  and  in  one  of  the  stores 
here  I  saw  three  hundred  barrels  ready  for  embarkation.  The 
Americans  have  several  schooners  on  the  lakes  employed  in 
these  fisheries;  we  have  not  one.  They  have  besides  planned 
a  ship  canal  through  the  portage  here,  which  will  open  a  com- 
munication for  large  vessels  between  Lake  Huron  and  Lake 
Superior,  as  our  Welland  Canal  has  united  Lake  Erie  and  Lake 
Ontario.  The  ground  has  already  been  surveyed  for  this  pur- 
pose. When  this  canal  has  been  completed,  a  vessel  may  load 
in  the  Thames,  and  discharge  her  burthen  at  the  upper  end  of 
Lake  Superior.  I  hope  you  have  a  map  before  you,  that  you 
may  take  in  at  a  glance  this  wonderful  extent  of  inland  naviga- 
tion. Ought  a  country  possessing  it,  and  all  the  means  of  life 
beside,  to  remain  poor,  oppressed,  uncultivated,  unknown?    .    . 


Tanner,  the  Interpreter 

"On  the  American  side,  further  down  the  river,  is  the  house 
of  Tanner,  the  Indian  interpreter,  of  whose  story  you  may  have 
heard — as  I  remember,  it  excited  some  interest  in  England.  He 
is  a  European  of  mixed  blood,  with  the  language,  manners  and 
habits  of  a  Red-skin.  He  had  been  kidnapped  somewhere  on 
the  American  frontiers  when  a  mere  boy,  and  brought  up 
among  the  Chippewas.  He  afterwards  returned  to  civilized  life, 
and  having  re-learned  his  own  language,  drew  up  a  very  enter- 
taining and  valuable  account  of  his  adopted  tribe.  He  is  now 
in  the  American  service  here,  having  an  Indian  wife,  and  is  still 
attached  to  his  Indian  mode  of  life 

"Just  above  the  fort  is  the  ancient  burial-place  of  the  Chip- 
pewas. I  need  not  tell  you  of  the  profound  veneration  with 
which  all  the  Indian  tribes  regard  the  place  of  their  dead.  In 
all  their  treaties  for  the  session  of  their  lands,  they  stipulate  with 
the  white  man  for  the  inviolability  of  their  sepulchers.  They 
did  the  same  with  regard  to  this  place,  but  I  am  sorry  to  say 
that  it  has  not  been  attended  to,  for  in  enlarging  one  side  of  the 
fort,  they  have  considerable  encroached  on  the  cemetery.  The 
outrage  excited  both  the  sorrow  and  indignation  of  some  of  my 
friends  here,  but  there  is  no  redress.  Perhaps  it  was  this  cir- 
cumstance that  gave  rise  to  the  allusion  of  the  Indian  chief  here, 

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LIBRARY 
OF  THE 

i 


when  in  speaking  of  the  French  here,  he  said  'they  never  mo- 
lested the  places  of  our  dead!' 

"We  took  a  walk  to  visit  Mrs.  Johnston's  brother  Wayishky, 
whose  wigwam  is  at  a  little  distance,  on  the  verge  of  the  burial- 
ground.  The  lodge  is  of  the  genuine  Chippewa  form,  like  an 
egg  cut  in  half  lengthways.  It  is  formed  of  poles  stuck  in  the 
ground,  and  bent  over  at  top,  strengthened  with  a  few  wattles 
and  boards;  the  whole  is  covered  over  with  mats,  birch-bark 
and  skins;  a  large  blanket  formed  the  door  or  curtain,  which 
was  not  ungracefully  looped  aside.  Wayishky,  being  a  great 
man,  has  also  a  smaller  lodge  hard  by,  which  serves  as  a  store 
house   and   kitchen. 

An  Elegant  Indian  Hut 

"Rude  as  was  the  exterior  of  Wayishky' s  hut,  the  interior 
presented  every  appearance  of  comfort  and  even  elegance,  ac- 
cording to  the  Indian  notions  of  both.  It  formed  a  good-sized 
room;  a  raised  couch  ran  all  around  like  a  Turkish  divan,  serv- 
ing both  for  seats  and  beds,  and  covered  with  very  soft  and 
beautiful  matting  of  various  colours  and  patterns.  The  chests 
and  baskets  of  birch-bark,  the  rifles,  the  hunting  and  fishing 
tackle,  were  stowed  away  all  around  very  tidily.  The  floor  was 
trodden  down  hard  and  perfectly  clean,  and  there  was  a  place 
for  a  fire  in  the  middle. 

"There  was  no  window,  but  quite  sufficient  light  and  air 
were  admitted  through  the  door,  and  through  an  app^rture  in 
the  roof. 

"Mrs.  Wayishky  must  have  been  a  very  beautiful  woman. 
Though  no  longer  young,  and  the  mother  of  twelve  children, 
she  is  one  of  the  handsomest  Indian  women  I  have  ever  seen. 
The  number  of  her  children  is  remarkable,  for  in  general  there 
are  few  large  families  among  the  Indians.  Her  daughter  Zah- 
gahseegaquay  is  a  very  beautiful  girl,  with  eyes  that  are  a  war- 
rant for  her  poetical  name — the  sunbeams  breaking  through  a 
cloud — she  is  about  sixteen.  Wayishky  himself  is  a  grave,  dig- 
nified man  about  fifty. 

"I  asked  George  Johnston  how  it  was  that  in  their  wars  the 
Indians  made  no  distinction  between  the  warriors  opposed  to 
them  and  helpless  women  and  children.  He  replied:  'It  is  a 
constant  subject  of  reproach  against  the  Indians — this  barbar- 
ism of  their  desultory  warfare;  But  I  should  think  more  women 
and  children  have  perished  in  one  of  your  civilized  sieges  than 
during  the  whole  war  between  the  Chippewas  and  the  Sioux, 
and  that  has  lasted  a  century.* 

"I  was  silent,  for  there  is  a  sensible  proverb  about  taking 
care  of  our  own  glass  windows. 

The  Lure  of  the  Rapids 

"The  more  I  looked  upon  these  glancing,  dancing  rapids,  the 

145 


more  resolute  I  grew  to  venture  myself  in  the  midst  of  them. 
George  Johnston  went  to  seek  a  fit  canoe  and  a  dexterous 
steersman. 

"The  canoe  being  ready,  I  went  up  to  the  top  of  the  portage 
and  we  launched  into  the  river.  It  was  a  small  fishing  canoe 
about  ten  feet  long,  quite  new,  and  light  and  elegant  and  buoy- 
ant as  a  bird  on  the  waters.  I  reclined  on  a  mat  at  the  bottom 
Indian  fashion  (there  are  no  seats  in  a  genuine  Indian  canoe)  ; 
in  a  minute  we  were  within  the  verge  of  the  rapids,  and  down 
we  went,  with  a  whirl  and  a  splash! — the  white  surge  leaping 
around  me — over  me.  The  Indians  with  astonishing  dexterity 
kept  the  head  of  the  canoe  to  the  breakers,  and  somehow  or 
other  we  danced  through  them.  I  could  see,  as  I  looked  over 
the  edge  of  the  canoe,  that  the  passage  between  the  rocks  was 
sometimes  not  more  than  two  feet  in  width,  and  we  had  to  turn 
sharp  angles — a  touch  of  which  would  have  sent  us  to  destruc- 
tion— all  this  I  could  see  through  the  transparent  eddying  wa- 
ters, but  I  can  truly  say,  I  had  not  even  a  momentary  sensation 
of  fear,  but  rather  of  giddy,  breathless,  delicious  excitement.  I 
could  even  admire  the  beautiful  attitude  of  the  Indian  fisher- 
men past  whom  we  swept  as  we  came  to  the  bottom.  The 
whole  affair,  from  the  moment  I  entered  the  canoe  till  I  reached 
the  landing  place,  occupied  seven  minutes,  and  the  distance 
about  three-quarters  of  a  mile. 

"My  Indians  were  enchanted,  and  when  I  reached  home  my 
good  friends  were  not  less  delighted  at  my  exploit:  they  told 
me  I  was  the  first  European  woman  who  had  ever  performed  it. 
I  was  declared  duly  initiated,  and  adopted  into  the  family  by 
the  name  of  Wahsahgewahnoqua,  The  Woman  of  the  Bright 
Foam;  and  by  this  name  I  am  henceforth  to  be  known  among 
the  Chippewas." 

John  Tanner,  the  interpreter  mentioned  in  Mrs.  Jameson's 
letters,  was  one  of  the  most  peculiar  characters  ever  identified 
with  the  history  of  Michigan.  Kidnapped  when  a  child  in 
Kentucky  by  a  wandering  band  of  Saulteur  Chippewas,  he  was 
brought  to  and  grew  up  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  where  he  was  for 
many  years  interpreter  at  Mr.  Bingham's  Mission,  translating 
the  latter*  s  sermons  to  the  Indians.  The  son  of  white  parents, 
he  married  a  white  and  afterward  an  Indian  woman  at  Sault 
Ste.  Marie,  abusing  the  white  wife  so  terribly  that  she  left  him 
and  the  country.  He  wrangled  with  the  local  authorities  over 
the  disposition  of  his  young  daughter  Martha,  and  she  was 
finally  placed  in  a  missionary  establishment.  Such  was  his 
reputation  for  ferocity  and  vindictiveness  that  he  was  honored 
by  what  is  probably  the  only  law  ever  passed  by  a  legislative 
council  in  America  attaching  criminal  consequences  to  a  single 
private  person.  The  law  authorized  the  Sheriff  of  Chippewa 
County  to  remove  Martha  Tanner  to  such  place  of  safety  as  he 
might  deem  expedient,  provided  said  Martha  should  consent; 

146 


and  it  also  provided  that  any  threats  of  the  said  John  Tanner  to 
injure  Martha  or  any  person  or  persons  with  whom  she  might 
be  placed,  should  be  deemed  a  misdemeanor,  punishable  by 
fine  and  imprisonment,  at  the  discretion  of  the  court. 

Thought  Tanner  Killed  Schoolcraft 

Tanner  gained  the  local  reputation  of  being  a  thoroughly 
bad  man,  and  when  James  Schoolcraft,  brother  of  the  historian, 
was  murdered  from  ambush  near  his  home  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
in  July,  1 846,  Tanner  was  immediately  suspected.  He  had 
been  threatening  openly  the  lives  of  the  Schoolcraft  brothers. 
He  was  a  strange,  mysterious,  unsocial  character,  speaking  the 
Indian  tongue  and  excelling  the  Indians  in  their  own  pursuits, 
without,  however,  associating  with  them. 

He  disappeared,  and  although  it  was  reported  that  he  was 
seen  lurking  near  the  village,  he  was  never  apprehended. 
Where,  how,  or  when  he  died,  no  man  knows.  Many  years 
later  a  human  skeleton  was  found  in  the  woods  above  the  town, 
with  two  gun-barrels,  some  coins,  a  flint  and  steel  and  other 
trinkets  near  it.  Fire  had  passed  over  the  spot,  and  it  was  as- 
sumed but  not  positively  determined  that  the  remains  were  Tan- 
ner's. He  was  deemed  a  murderer  and  a  suicide  by  most  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  village. 

But  strange  to  say,  Lieutenant  Tilden  of  the  local  post,  or- 
dered to  the  southwest  in  the  Mexican  War,  confessed  upon  his 
death-bed  that  it  was  he  who  had  assassinated  Schoolcraft,  im- 
pelled thereto  by  a  quarrel  over  a  woman. 

Tanner  has  been  the  subject  of  many  a  controversy  in  print, 
there  having  been  a  great  difference  of  opinion  as  to  his  char- 
acter. His  detractors  regarded  his  as  a  treacherous,  dishonest, 
dangerous  savage;  his  defenders  clothed  him  with  every  noble 
and  generous  quality.  Judge  Steere's  'Sketch  of  John  Tanner* 
in  the  Michigan  Pioneer  and  Historical  Collections  is  an  inter- 
esting and  impartial  presentaton  of  Tanner's  reputation  and  do- 
ings in  old  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

John  and  Andrew  Waishkey  of  Bay  Mills  and  Sam 
Waishkey  of  Raco  are  lineal  descendants  of  the  Chief  Vrayishky 
visited  by  Mrs.  Jameson  at  the  Sault.  The  Saulteur  Chippewas 
have  exchanged  their  tribal  organization  for  United  States  cit- 
izenship, and  their  Chiefs  remain  so  by  sentiment  only.  Other 
prominent  men  among  them  are  Charles  Shawano,  of  Bay  Mills, 
descendant  of  Chief  Shawano  who  owned  and  lived  upon  the 
island  in  St.  Mary's  River  where  the  third  lock  now  stands; 
William  Halfaday  of  Raco,  who  recently  undertook  a  mission 
of  the  Chippewas  to  Washington;  and  Joseph  Gurno°  leader 
of  the  Sugar  Island  Indian  community.  The  name  of  Wayishky 
is  perpetuated  in  that  of  Waishka  Bay  and  River  southwest  of 
Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and  Shawano's  Island  was  a  familiar  sight  to 

147 


modern  Saulteurs  until  it  was  wiped  out  by  the  demands  of  lake 
commerce. 

Perhaps  there  was  just  a  touch  of  spite  in  the  otherwise 
amiable  Mrs.  Jameson's  criticisms  of  our  soldiers  at  Fort  Brady. 
She  was  an  Englishwoman,  and  they  were  the  sons  and  grand- 
sons of  those  Americans  who  had  been  victors  over  her  nation 
in  two  wars. 

Predicts  Deep  Sea  Canal 

"They  have  besides  planned  ship  canal  here.  When  this 
canal  is  completed,  a  vessel  may  load  in  the  Thames,  and  dis- 
charge her  burthen  at  the  upper  end  of  Lake  Superior."  This 
prophecy  made  nearly  one  hundred  years  ago  is  already  reality 
in  a  small  way.  There  is  a  special  obligation  upon  us  in  the 
north  country  to  help  develop  this  small  beginning  to  a  gigantic 
materialization.  The-Great-Lakes-to-the-Sea  Waterway  is 
bound  to  come  in  its  fullness. 

No  one  knows  who  first  conceived  an  American  ship  canal 
around  the  rapids  here.  Perhaps  the  honor  should  belong  to 
Samuel  Hawkins,  a  special  agent  of  the  Government  who  came 
here  in  1817  with  reference  to  the  disputed  boundary  line  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Great  Britain.  He  reported,  ap- 
parently incidentally,  that  immediately  above  the  falls  on  the 
American  side  of  the  river  there  was  a  cove  which  might  serve 
as  the  head  of  a  canal;  and  that  a  strip  of  low  and  marshy  land 
curved  from  it  to  a  point  below  the  falls.  He  thought  that  a 
canal  for  vessels  drawing  ten  feet  of  water  might  be  cut  through 
this  cove  and  strip  at  an  inconsiderable  expense. 

Ship  Canal  Authorized 

Twenty  years  later,  Michigan  having  become  a  State,  the 
Legislature,  in  line  with  the  recommendation  of  Governor  Ma- 
son, passed  an  act  authorizing  the  loan  of  not  to  exceed  five 
million  dollars  to  be  expended  for  internal  improvements.  At 
the  same  time  another  act  was  passed  authorizing  the  construc- 
tion of  a  ship  canal  around  St.  Mary's  Falls,  and  arranging  for 
a  survey.  John  Almy  was  the  surveying  engineer  appointed 
by  Governor  Mason,  and  his  report  was  filed  in  December, 
1837.  He  estimated  the  cost  of  a  canal  and  three  locks  to  be 
$112,544.80,  the  proposed  width  of  the  canal  to  be  75  feet, 
the  depth  10  feet,  and  the  width  of  the  locks  32  feet.  Mr. 
Almy  proposed  to  divide  the  locks  into  three  lifts  of  six  feet 
each,  to  avoid  great  hydraulic  pressure  on  the  side  walls  and 
gates.  He  stated  that  the  canal  would  be  large  enough  to 
accommodate  the  larger  class  of  sailing  vessels  then  used. 

Other  internal  improvements  contemplated  by  the  Legis- 
lature were  the  building  of  three  railroad  trunk  lines  across  the 
lower  part  of  the  Lower  Peninsula,  and  the  construction  of  a 

148 


canal  from  Lake  St.  Clair  to  the  Kalamazoo  River.  None  of 
the  projects  materialized  at  the  time,  although  the  Michigan 
Saulteurs  were  so  sure  of  their  canal  that  maps  were  drawn 
and  are  still  in  existence,  showing  the  canal  with  its  three  locks, 
intersecting  the  line  of  the  old-water  power  canal  which  was 
dug  by  soldiers  from  Fort  Brady  in  the  twenties.  This  canal 
or  race-way  came  down  through  what  is  now  Upper  Canal  Park, 
about  one  hundred  feet  north  of  the  location  of  the  Weather 
Bureau  on  West  Portage  Avenue  and  Douglas  Street.  Here 
the  old  saw-mill  was  constructed,  possibly  two  hundred  feet 
from  where  the  Park  Hotel  now  stands.  After  the  water  had 
turned  the  mill-wheel,  it  returned  to  the  river  through  a  tail- 
race  or  sluice  which  ran  north  where  Douglas  Street  now  is,  and 
somewhere  near  the  fountain  site  in  Lock  Park. 

This  race-way  was  the  means  of  delaying  our  first  ship  canal 
for  many  years.  Smith  &  Driggs  of  Buffalo  contracted  with 
the  State  for  the  construction  of  the  upper  level  of  the  canal, 
and  assigned  a  third  interest  in  their  contract  to  Aaron  Weeks, 
cf  Mount  Clemens. 

Government  Soldiers  Interfere 

Mr.  Weeks,  in  active  charge  of  operations,  began  his  ex- 
cavations with  a  crew  of  men  at  the  point  where  the  proposed 
canal  crossed  the  mill-race,  stating  that  he  could  not  allow 
water  to  flow  through  the  race  where  the  line  of  the  canal  cross- 
ed the  same.  He  immediately  found  himself  and  men  in  con- 
flict with  Captain  Johnson  and  about  thirty  armed  regulars  from 
Fort  Brady,  the  Captain  acting  under  orders  from  the  U.  S.  War 
Department  forbidding  interference  with  the  race,  which  was  of 
course  Government  property.  The  workmen  were  driven  from 
the  ground  by  the  soldiers.     This  was  in  May,    1839. 

After  much  negotiating  between  State  and  Government  of- 
ficials, an  agreement  was  reached  in  August  whereby  the  con- 
tractors could  proceed,  but  Tracy  McCracken,  canal  engineer, 
reported  in  December  that  no  further  work  had  been  done  by 
the  contractors.  John  H.  Goff,  in  his  excellent  "History  of  the 
St.  Mary's  Falls  Canal,"  asks  whether  the  contractors  did  not 
wish  to  legally  abandon  the  work.  The  contract  was  taken  at 
what  appear  to  have  been  absurdly  low  figures. 

The  canal  project  remained  in  limbo  until  December,  1839, 
when  United  States  Senator  Norvell  introduced  in  the  Senate  a 
bill  donating  100,000  acres  of  land  to  aid  in  the  construction  of 
a  canal.  The  following  year  the  Michigan  Legislature  asked 
Congress  for  a  grant  of  lands.  Henry  Clay,  Senator  from  Ken- 
tucky and  others  opposed  the  bill  on  the  grounds  that  the  pop- 
ulation of  the  country  surrounding  the  rapids  was  sparse,  that 
the  State  of  Michigan  had  comparatively  few  inhabitants,  and 
that  it  was  "in  reality  a  work  beyond  the  remotest  settlement 

149 


in  the  United  States,  if  not  in  the  moon."     It  hardly  seems  pos- 
sible, but  Henry  was  considered  a  great  statesman  in  his  day. 

Local  Sentiment  Opposed  Canal 

Local  sentiment  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie  did  not  favor  a  canal. 
Its  operation  apparently  meant  a  loss  of  work  and  wages  to 
many  dwellers  in  the  village. 

An  amended  land  grant  bill  passed  the  Senate  in  1850,  ex- 
pedited by  the  Michigan  Senators  Cass  and  Felch,  but  it  failed 
in  the  House. 

The  two  Senators  renewed  their  efforts  in  1851,  and  this 
time  they  were  aided  by  Senators  and  Congressmen  from  many 
other  States.  The  need  of  the  canal  was  becoming  more  and 
more  apparent.  The  desired  bill  was  finally  passed  by  the 
House  and  Senate  and  approved  by  President  Fillmore  August 
26th,  1852.  It  granted  to  the  State  of  Michigan  the  right  of 
locating  a  canal  at  St.  Mary's  Falls  through  the  public  lands 
known  as  the  military  reservation.  It  granted  750,000  acres 
of  land  to  the  State  to  enable  it  to  construct  the  canal.  It  pro- 
vided that  the  canal  should  be  at  least  cne  hundred  feet  wide, 
twelve  feet  in  depth,  and  that  the  locks  should  be  at  least  two 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  long  and  sixty  feet  wide.  It  was  con- 
sidered a  mighty  poor  bill  in  Sault  St3.  Marie,  and  blue  ruin 
lcomed  before  a  large  number  of  the  village  inhabitants. 

Meanwhile  the  transportation  of  merchandise  around  the 
rapids  was  continued  by  the  slow,  laborious  and  costly  means 
of  portaging.  After  the  construction  of  the  mill-race  the  port- 
age was  not  so  lengthy  as  before,  of  course,  for  the  voyageurs 
used  this  race  above  the  dam.  The  American  Fur  Company 
built  a  log  warehouse  at  the  head  of  the  rapids  in  1835,  and 
in  the  same  year  they  built  and  launched  near  by  the  schooner 
John  Jacob  Astor,  of  1  1  2  tons,  the  first  American  vessel  of  any 
size  to  sail  on  Lake  Superior.  Her  first  captain  was  Charles 
Stannard,  her  second  his  brother,  Benjamin  Stannard. 

The  Steamer  Independence 

The  Independence,  first  steamer  on  Lake  Superior,  was  a 
stern-wheel  propeller  built  of  wood,  and  was  about  150  feet 
in  length.  She  was  hauled  over  the  portage  in  1845.  There 
is  a  story  that  she  was  intended  when  building  to  carry  grain 
from  Chicago  to  Europe.  But  her  speed  did  not  exceed  five 
miles  per  hour,  and  her  coal  carrying  capacity  was  not  suffi- 
cient for  half  the  voyage  across  the  Atlantic,  so  she  was  trans- 
ferred to  Lake  Superior.  She  was  a  success  as  a  lake  carrier, 
but  in  November,  1854,  her  boiler  exploded  and  she  sank  a 
short  distance  above  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  Her  antique  propellers 
or  wheels  may  be  seen  in  the  park  near  the  Poe  lock. 

The  Julia  Palmer  was  the  second  steamer  on  Lake  Superior, 

150 


a  side-wheeler  about  one  hundred  feet  in  length.  In  1857  she 
was  made  a  permanent  part  of  a  wood  dock  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 
Schooners  on  the  lake  at  this  time  included  the  Napoleon,  the 
Algonquin,  the  Swallow,  the  Chippewa,  the  Fur  Trader  and  the 
Merchant.  The  Fur  Trader  tried  to  shoot  the  rapids  in  1847 
and  turned  over  on  the  rocks.  A  little  later  the  Merchant,  with 
Captain  Brown  and  fourteen  passengers  and  crew,  cleared  the 
Sault  for  Grand  Portage.  She  disappeared,  the  forerunner  of 
many  another  larger  and  finer  Lake  Superior  craft.  Months 
later,  a  battered  door  from  her  cabin  was  picked  up  on  the  north 
shore. 

The  First  Railway 

The  American  Fur  Company's  Agent  at  the  Sault  in  the 
early  thirties  was  Gabriel  Franchere,  an  early  employe  of  John 
Jacob  Astor.  He  had  grown  up  in  the  business  and  knew  every 
angle  of  it.  He  was  succeeded  in  1838  by  John  Livingstone. 
Under  the  latter's  incumbency  in  1839  the  large  warehouse  was 
built  which  still  stands,  appropriately  inscribed,  on  Water  Street 
near  the  Bingham  Avenue  slip.  In  the  same  year  the  first  rail- 
way in  the  Upper  Peninsula  was  constructed  by  the  Fur  Com- 
pany from  the  above  warehouse  up  Water  Street  to  the  present 
Douglas  Street,  where  it  curved  over  to  Portage  avenue  and 
extended  up  to  the  head  of  the  rapids,  where  the  Company 
built  another  warehouse  for  merchandise  transferred  from  the 
schooner  Astor  and  other  boats.  This  railway  was  an  iron 
strap  affair  on  wooden  supports,  and  the  motive  power  was 
oxen,  horses  and  mules. 

The  Company's  retail  store  at  that  date  still  stands  on  the 
south  side  of  Water  Street  and  is  known  as  the  Hursley  home. 
This  store,  the  warehouses  above  and  below  the  rapids,  and  the 
strap  railway  passed  into  the  hands  of  McKnight  Bros  &  Tinker 
about  the  year  1846.  They  improved  the  railway  and  organiz- 
ed the  Chippewa  Portage  Company,  which  handled  in  1850  six 
thousand  tons  of  foodstuffs  and  wearables,  machinery,  copper 
and  bloom  iron,  at  a  transportation  charge  of  about  one  dollar 
per  ton.  They  were  in  competition  with  Spalding  &  Bacon 
from  1851  to  1853,  the  latter  firm  constructing  warehouses 
with  a  connecting  plank  road.  The  advent  of  the  canal  of 
course  put  the  portaging  firms  out  of  business. 

When  Peter  White  Arrived 

When  Peter  White  came  north  in  1 849,  bound  for  the 
iron  country  and  unsuspected  fame,  he  found  Fort  Prady,  call- 
ed old  by  that  time,  at  the  water's  edge,  with  a  few  houses  be- 
low it  but  the  principal  part  of  the  town  above.  Water  Street, 
the  one  wide  roadway,  extended  west  from  the  Fort  grounds, 
with  a  few  very  narrow  little  streets  reaching   out   from  it  a 

151 


short  distance  southward.  He  estimated  the  population  of  the 
Sault  to  be  about  500,  many  of  them  French,  some  half-breeds, 
a  few  Americans,  and  a  number  of  resident  Indians.  The  post 
Commander  was  Captain  Clark,  and  the  garrison  numbered 
about  50.  There  were  three  or  four  stores  and  two  hotels,  the 
Van  Anden  and  the  Chippewa.  Landlord  Smith  of  the  Chip- 
pewa lost  his  hotel  by  fire  after  Peter  White's  visit.  He  after- 
ward bought  the  Van  Anden  House  and  rechristened  it  the 
Chippewa. 

The  inhabitants  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  had  forgotten  appar- 
ently the  origin  of  the  name  of  the  village.  One  of  the  party 
asked  Peter  Barbeau,  a  prominent  man  of  the  town,  how  it 
came  to  be  so  curiously  named.  "That,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Barbeau, 
"is  a  corruption.  This  town  was  originally  named  after  a  lady 
called  Susan  Maria,  and  by  mispronunciation  it  has  become 
*Soo  Ste.  Mary.'  " 

The  State  Commissioners  contracted  in  April,  1853,  with 
the  St.  Mary's  Falls  Ship  Canal  Company  to  construct  the  canal 
and  locks,  the  Company  being  headed  by  Mr.  J.  P.  Fairbanks 
of  St.  Johnsbury,  Vermont.  The  company  received  as  pay 
750,000  acres  of  land  granted  by  Congress.  Superintendent 
Charles  T.  Harvey  turned  the  first  spadeful  of  earth  in  June. 
Work  was  interrupted  in  1854  by  the  cholera  epidemic  which 
swept  the  country,  many  of  the  sixteen  hundred  workmen 
dying  on  the  job.  June  18,  1855,  the  first  boat,  the  steamer 
Illinois,  Captain  Jack  Wilson,  locked  through,  bound  west. 
Aboard  her  were  General  Cass  and  Father  Bingham.  The 
same  day  the  sterner  Baltimore  passed  eastward  with  a  cargo  of 
copper.  The  Baltimore  had  voyaged  up  Water  Street  some 
years  before  on  rollers. 

Sooites  Refused  to  Give  Help 

The  establishment  of  the  canal  did  not  meet  with  local  ap- 
proval. A  breach  in  the  embankment  occurred  in  1857,  and 
Superintendent  Calkins'  appeal  for  help  to  the  townspeople 
met  with  no  response.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  crew  of  the 
Government  steamer  Michigan,  who  volunteered  for  work,  ser- 
ious consequences  to  the  canal  might  have  resulted. 

This  canal  was  a  little  over  a  mile  long,  1  00  feet  wide  at 
the  water  line,  and  was  twelve  feet  in  depth.  There  were  two 
locks  end  to  end,  which  were  on  the  present  site  of  the  Poe 
lock.  They  were  350  feet  long  and  70  feet  wide,  and  each 
had  a  lift  of  nine  feet.  The  total  cost  was  practically  one  mil- 
lion dollars. 

Hie  tremendous  size  of  these  locks,  for  that  day,  met  with 
vigorous  disapproval  from  the  vessel  interests.  Lake  captains 
wrote  to  newspapers  protesting  their  too  great  dimensions,  and 
fearing  they  never  would  be  finished,   or  needed  if  they  were 

152 


completed.     It  is  hard  to  say  who  were  the  more  short-sighted, 
the  Saulteurs  or  the  ship  owners. 

The  canal  tonnage  of  100,000  in  1855  increased  in  1870 
to  700,000.  Officials  were  recommending  an  additional  lock  and 
the  deepening  of  the  canal.  The  49ers  of  Lake  Superior  had 
uncovered  more  mineral  wealth  in  the  region  than  ever  was 
found  in  California,  and  the  canal  was  constantly  crowded 
during  the  navigation  season.  The  narrow  and  crooked  chan- 
nels of  St.  Mary's  were  being  straightened  and  deepened. 

Weitzel  [Lock  is  Opened 

A  new  lock  having  been  decided  on,  the  first  stone  was 
laid  with  appropriate  ceremonies  July  25,  1876.  Peter  Barbeau 
presided  at  this  meeting,  and  the  principal  address  was  made 
by  General  Godfrey  Weitzel,  for  whom  the  lock  was  named 
afterward.  The  canal  depth  was  increased  to  sixteen  feet,  the 
chamber  of  the  Weitzel  lock  was  made  5  1  5  feet  long,  and  its 
depth  at  the  miter  sills  seventeen  feet.  The  lock  was  opened  to 
navigation  in  September,  1881,  when  the  steamer  City  of  Cleve- 
land passed  through.  The  new  lock  and  canal  improvements 
cost  about  one  million  dollars  each.  Engineer  Alfred  Noble 
had  charge  of  the  work. 

June  9,  1  88 1 ,  by  Act  of  Congress,  title  to  St.  Mary's  Falls 
Ship  Canal  passed  to  the  United  States,  the  transfer  having 
been  authorized  by  the  Michigan  Legislature  some  years  before. 
The  State  had  charged  four  cents  on  every  ton  of  a  vessel's  en- 
rolled tonnage,  the  same  to  be  collected  before  the  boat  pass- 
ed the  canal.  This  was  reduced  later  to  three  cents  per  ton. 
John  Spaulding  was  the  last  State  Superintendent  of  the  canal, 
and  William  Chandler  the  last  Collector.  The  Government 
takes  no  tolls,  and  the  smallest  launch,  American  or  foreign, 
is  locked  through  with  all  the  courteous  consideration  accorded 
the  greatest  vessel  on  the  lakes. 

Gates  Operated  by  Capstans 

The  gates  of  the  old  locks  were  operated  by  manual  labor 
applied  through  capstans.  Each  lock  could  be  filled  or  emptied 
in  seven  minutes,  and  each  was  large  enough  to  admit  a  tug 
and  a  tow  of  three  vessels  or  "hookers." 

Formerly  the  canal  was  lighted  with  kerosene  lamps.  In 
1  884  these  were  replaced  by  electricity  and  the  beautiful  park 
south  of  the  Weitzel  lock  was  graded  and  adorned  with  five 
hundred  shade  trees.  The  last  home  of  the  Indians  between 
the  locks  and  St.  Mary's  River  was  given  up  at  the  same  time. 

John  Spalding  was  continued  as  the  first  Government  Super- 
intendent. Under  his  direction  the  spoil  banks  resulting  from 
the  excavation  of  the  canal  were  removed  in  large  part  in  1887- 

153 


89  to  the  shallows  north  of  Fart  Brady,  where  they  now  form 
the  land  known  as  Brady  Field. 

The  Poe  Lock 

The  Poe  lock,  800  feet  long,  100  feet  wide,  and  with  22 
feet  of  water  on  the  sil^s,  was  built  by  the  United  States  in  the 
years  1887-96.  General  O.  M.  Poe  was  the  engineer  officer 
in  charge  of  the  district  from  1883  to  1895,  and  Mr.  E.  S. 
Wheeler  was  the  assistant  engineer  in  local  charge  of  construc- 
tion work  from  1882  to  1897.  Hughes  Bros.  &  Bangs  were  the 
principal  contractors,  and  their  superintendent  was  Mr.  Thos. 
Carroll,  who  afterward  became  assistant  superintendent  of  the 
canal  and  who  is  still  a  resident  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

Contrary  to  local  expectations,  when  the  State  canal  and 
lock  were  opened,  the  village  experienced  a  small  boom.  This 
came  about  no  doubt  through  the  comparatively  great  influx 
of  construction  labor.  These  men  gone,  the  village  settled 
down  and  grew  very  slow!y  until  the  advent  of  the  Weitzel 
lock,  and  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  railroads. 

After  the  building  of  the  first  canal,  the  little  town  was  as 
much  isolated  in  the  winter  as  ever.  The  mail  still  came  over- 
land from  Saginaw,  five  or  six  times  during  the  winter  season, 
and  everybody  looked  forward  to  the  going  out  of  the  ice  and 
tiie  up-coming  of  the  first  flotilla  of  Montreal  canoes,  bound 
via  Sault  Ste.  Marie  for  the  great  Northwest,  or  the  first  steamer 
from  Detroit.  More  than  once  the  village  was  entirely  out  of 
pork,  lard  and  flour  before  the  spring  supplies  could  get  there. 

There  is  an  unflattering  picture  of  the  Soo  of  1850  in  Agas- 
siz's  "Lake  Superior." 

A  Picure  of  the  Soo  in  1850 

"'Ihe  Sault  de  St.  Marie,"  he  says,  "is  a  long  straggling  vil- 
lage, extending  in  all  some  two  or  three  miles,  if  we  reckon 
from  the  outposts  of  scattered  log-huts.  The  main  part  of  it  is 
concentrated  on  a  street  running  from  the  Fort,  which  stands 
on  a  slight  eminence  over  the  river,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
along  the  water,  with  some  back  lanes  leading  up  the  gradual 
slope,  rising  perhaps  half  a  mile  from  the  river. 

"The  population  is  so  floating  in  its  character  that  it  is 
difficult  to  estimate;  some  stated  it  at  about  three  hundred  on 
the  average,  consisting  of  half-breed  voyageurs,  miners  waiting 
for  employment,  traders,  and  Indians.  The  chaplain  at  the 
Fort,  however,  estimated  the  number  of  the  inhabitants  on  both 
sides  of  the  river  at  one  thousand,  of  whom  the  majority  belong 
to  the  American  side. 

"The  most  striking  feature  of  the  place  is  the  number  of 
dramshops  and  bowling  alleys.  Standing  in  front  of  the  hotels 
I  counted  seven  buildings  where  liquor  was  sold,   besides  the 

154 


larger  stores,  where  this  was  only  one  article  among  others. 
The  roar  of  the  bowling  alleys  and  the  click  of  the  billiard  balls 
are  heard  from  morning  till  late  at  night.  The  whole  aspect  is 
that  of  a  western  village  on  a  Fourth  of  July  afternoon.  Nobody 
seems  to  be  at  home,  but  all  out  on  a  spree,  or  going  a-fishing 
or  bowling.  There  are  no  symptoms  of  agriculture  or  manu- 
factures; traders  enough,  but  they  are  chatting  at  their  doors  or 
walking  about  from  one  shop  to  another.  The  wide  platforms 
in  front  of  the  two  large  taverns  are  occupied  by  leisurely  peo- 
ple, with  their  chairs  tilted  back  and  cigars  in  their  mouths* 
Nobody  is  busy  but  the  barkeepers,  and  no  one  seems  to  know 
what  he  is  going  to  do  next. 

Chief's  Son  Carried  Home 

"Whilst  we  were  here  a  number  of  Indians  arrived  with  the 
son  of  a  chief  from  Fort  William.  After  parading  about  the 
town  with  an  American  flag,  speechifying  and  offering  the  pipe 
at  all  the  grogshops  to  beg  for  liquor,  they  devoted  themselves 
to  drinking  and  playing  at  bowls.  In  the  evening,  when  passing 
one  of  the  bowling  alleys,  we  saw  in  front  of  it  on  a  heap  of 
shavings,  a  dark  object  which  proved  to  be  the  Chiefs  son,  ex- 
tended at  full  length  and  dead  drunk,  with  several  Indians  en- 
deavoring to  get  him  home.  The  only  sign  of  life  he  gave  was 
a  feeble  muttering  in  Indian,  interspersed  with  a  certain  English 
curse;  another  instance  of  the  naturalization  of  John  Bull's  im- 
precation in  a  foreign  tongue.  My  companions  by  signs  ex- 
plained to  the  Indians  that  they  should  take  up  the  drunken  man 
by  the  legs  and  arms  and  carry  him  home.  The  idea  struck 
them  as  a  good  one,  for  they  immediately  'how,  howed,*  set 
about  it  and  bore  him  off,  one  to  each  leg  and  arm." 

Agassiz  found  fresh  fish  still  very  cheap  at  the  Sault.  He 
bought  a  fifteen  pound  trout  for  a  small  fish-hook  from  a  half- 
breed  voyageur,  who  was  careful  to  explain  that  he  was  'Fran- 
cais,'  not  'Sauvege.' 

John  McDougall  Johnston,  son  of  John  Johnston  and  a 
famous  raconteur,  has  left  us  the  story  of  an  old  table  still  to 
be  seen  in  this  city. 

The  First  Saw  Mill 

"The  first  saw-mill,  if  I  mistake  not,  in  the  peninsula,  was 
erected  at  the  foot  of  the  mill-race  at  Portage  and  River  Streets. 
It  had  an  up  and  down  saw,  and  we  thought  it  a  wonderful 
thing  in  those  days.  The  logs  were  floated  down  the  raceway. 
The  first  wood  sawed  by  this  mill  was  a  maple  log,  and  the 
lumber  made  material  for  a  table  which  was  used  by  Henry 
Schoolcraft,  the  Indian  Agent  and  historian,  and  by  all  the  in- 
terpreters since.  As  I  was  the  last  interpreter,  the  table  fell  to 
me  and  I  still  have  it.     Great  amounts  of  silver  and  gold  were 

155 


counted  out  on  that  table  when  we  paid  the  Indian  annuities." 

This  table,  which  Schoolcraft  no  doubt  used  in  the  writing 
of  many  of  his  works,  afterwards  came  into  the  hands  of  Judge 
Joseph  Steere.  He  presented  to  the  Sault  Ste.  JMarie  Carnegie 
Library,  where  it  stands  with  one  of  the  ship-knees  of  the  fam- 
ous old  propeller  Independence. 

"In  my  boyhood  days,"  continues  John  McD.  in  his  Me- 
moirs, "my  father  had  near  our  home  a  fish  Jiouse  twenty-five 
or  thirty  feet  square.  Each  season  he  would  have  forty  pork 
barrels  of  salted  whitefish  and  from  five  to  six  thousand  fresh 
fish.  These  were  strung  in  pairs  by  their  tails  and  hung  over 
rows  of  poles.  They  were  allowed  to  freeze  and  would  keep 
all  winter.  It  was  nothing  strange  to  take  500  cr  1,000  white- 
fish  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids  in  a  single  night,  and  sometimes 
1,500." 

Thus  the  old  Saulteurs,  even  long  after  John  Johnston's  time, 
had  two  gardens,  one  behind  their  homes  and  the  other  out 
in  the  rapids,  the  latter  affording  them  without  cultivation  or 
trouble  other  than  going  after  it,  an  unending  crop  of  the  finest 
food  that  ever  passed  the  lips  of  man. 

The  First  Newspaper 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  Chippewa  County  was 
The  Lake  Superior  News  and  Mining  Journal,  a  weekly  brought 
out  by  John  N.  Ingersoll  in  the  spring  of  1 848.  This  paper 
featured  mining  news,  and  moved  later  to  Marquette,  in  the 
heart  of  the  iron  country,  where  it  has  continued  to  this  day 
under  the  caption  of  the  Marquette  Mining  Journal. 

The  Chippewa  County  News  was  the  next  local  paper,  orig- 
inated by  Dr.  Williams  in  1878,  and  purchased  the  following 
year  by  J.  H.  Steere  6c  Co.  Mr.  Steere  edited  the  News  until 
his  election  as  Circuit  Judge  in  1881,  when  it  passed  into  the 
hands  of  Wm.  Chandler  &  Co.  Two  years  later  Mr.  Charles 
H.  Chapman  became  its  editor  and  publisher,  Mr.  Chandler 
retaining  an  interest.  In  1887  the  paper,  rechristened  the  Sault 
Ste.  Marie  News,  became  the  property  of  Messrs.  Chase  S.  Os- 
born,  M.  A.  Hoyt,  and  A.  W.  Dingwall.  This  paper,  since 
continued  as  an  evening  daily,  is  now  owned  by  George  Osborn, 
Emma  Osborn,  Chase  S.  Osborn,  Jr.,  Norman  H.  Hill,  J.  P. 
Chandler  and  Charles  Zylstra  as  the  principal  stockholders,  and 
dominates  the  daily  field  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  Upper  Pen- 
insula. A  weekly  edition  is  issued  also,  sharing  the  territory 
with  The  Soo  Times,  a  thriving  Saturday-issue  weekly  under  the 
able  management  of  Mr.  Loring  Chittenden. 

Another  weekly,  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  Democrat,  had  been 
started  in  1  882  by  Mr.  W.  K.  Gardner.  The  paper  was  print- 
ed on  a  home-made  wooden  press.  The  Democrat  suspended 
issue  after  a  few  months,  but  in  the  following  year  Mr.  Charles 

156 


R.  Stuart  bought  the  printing  plant  and  revived  the  publication. 
In  1887,  the  year  of  the  first  water-power  boom,  Mr.  John  E. 
Burchard  and  Mr.  D.  W.  Brownell  became  interested  in  the 
Democrat,  and  in  1 89 1  Mr.  Burchard  became  sole  owner.  In 
the  same  year  Mr.  M.  J.  Magee  acquired  an  interest  in  the  paper, 
and  three  years  later  he  took  over  Mr.  Burchard's  title.  In 
1901  the  Democrat  became  a  daily  morning  paper  under  the 
name  of  The  Record,  dividing  the  field  with  the  Daily  News, 
then  as  now  issued  in  the  afternoon. 

The  field  being  too  small  for  two  dailies,  negotiations  re- 
sulted in  the  combining  of  the  two  papers  by  Mr.  Magee' s  pur- 
chase from  Mr.  Chase  S.  Osborn — by  that  time  sole  owner  of 
The  News — of  his  ownership  in  the  latter  paper.  Mr.  Osborn 
had  many  other  interests  which  required  his  attention,  and  he 
relinquished  with  honor  a  field  in  which  he  had  been  singularly 
successful.  Thus  Mr.  Magee  became  general  manager  of  the 
Sault  News-Record.  The  paper  was  issued  every  week  day 
morning  until  November,  1901,  when  it  became  an  afternoon 
daily  of  four  pages. 

After  Mr.  Charles  H.  Chapman  had  sold  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
News  to  Mr.  Osborn,  he  published  several  weekly  papers  in 
this  city,  The  Soo  Herald,  The  Sault  Ste.  Marie  Tribune,  and 
Hie  Church  Herald.  In  August,  1901,  he  launched  The  Lake 
Superior  Journal.  The  Journal  was  a  weekly,  but  it  announced 
in  the  initial  issue  its  intention  of  becoming  a  daily.  Mr.  E.  W. 
Kibby  was  associate  editor  with  Mr.  Chapman,  and  at  the  time 
of  its  purchase  by  Messrs.  Knox  and  Muehling  it  was  published 
semi-weekly. 

Mr.  Frank  Knox  and  Mr.  John  Muehling  were  Grand 
Rapids  newspaper  men,  and  when  they  bought  The  Journal  they 
converted  it  into  a  daily  evening  rival  of  The  News-Record.  In 
April,  1903,  the  two  papers  merged  under  the  caption  of  The 
Evening  News  and  the  editorship  of  Mr.  Knox.  Mr.  Muehling 
was  business  manager,  and  continued  in  that  capacity  until 
1 9  i  2,  when  he  and  Mr.  Knox  established  The  Manchester,  N. 
H.,  Leader  and  moved  to  that  city.  Later  the  Leader  was 
consolidated  with  The  Union.  At  that  time  the  Sault  News 
Printing  Company  was  acquired  by  its  present  owners,  Mr. 
Norman  Hi^l  having  bought  an  interest  in  the  Company  in 
1915,  and  having  succeeded  Mr.  Chase  S.  Osborn,  Jr.,  as  man- 
aging editor.  Mr.  Osborn  is  now  associated  with  his  brother 
Mr.  George  A.  Osborn  in  the  publication  of  The  Herald  in 
Fresno,  California. 

Sent  21  Men  to  Union  Army. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  practically  the  entire  pop- 
ulation of  Chippewa  County  was  living  in  the  village  of  Sault 
Ste.  Marie,   and  a  large  part  of  that  population  was  transient 

157 


in  character.  The  people  of  the  Upper  Peninsula  were  clus- 
tered in  the  mining  centers,  and  Chippewa  furnished  but  twen- 
ty-one men  to  the  Union  Armies,  as  against  254  who  went 
from  Ontonagon  and  460  from  Houghton.  Among  the  soldiers 
from  the  village  was  a  grandson  of  John  Johnston,  Benjamin 
Johnston,  who  was  killed  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run. 

When  the  Reverend  Thomas  R.  Easterday  came  here  in 
1  864,  the  inhabitants  of  Sault  Ste  Marie  numbered  about  400. 
The  local  Presbyterian  Church  Society  had  been  re-organized 
by  the  Reverend  William  McCullough  in  1854,  but  after  him 
there  was  no  regular  pastoral  incumbent  until  Mr.  Easterday 
took  charge.  The  only  other  religious  organization  here  was 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  with  the  Reverend  Father  Menet 
as  parish  priest  and  the  Right  Reverend  Frederick  Baraga  as 
bishop  of  the  diocese.  The  three  general  stores  of  the  village 
were  conducted  by  iL.  P.  Trempe,  Thomas  Ryan  and  M.  W. 
Scranton. 

Among  the  first  members  of  Mr.  Easterday* s  church  were 
County  Clerk  Guy  H.  Carleton,  who  had  his  office  in  the  old 
warehouse  of  the  American  Fur  Company  on  W  ter  Street,  and 
J.  W.  McMath,  Collector  of  Customs.  Judge  Goodwin,  of 
Detroit,  came  up  once  a  year  to  hold  court,  in  the  second  story 
of  an  old  store  building  on  Water  Street,  opposite  the  Chippewa 
House.  Peter  Barbeau  had  retired  as  early  as  1864,  and  on 
the  organization  of  the  village  in  1874,  he  became  its  first 
president.  He  lived  at  the  corner  of  Barbeau  Alley  and  Water 
Street.  Mr.  Barbeau  bought  the  old  Indian  Agency 
building  after  its  tenancy  by  Agent  James  Ord,  who  succeeded 
Schoolcraft,  and  lived  there  for  a  time.  Barbeau  Street,  which 
once  passed  through  his  grounds,  is  named  for  him,  and  so  is 
Barbeau  Postoffice,  in  Bruce  Township. 

Among  Mr.  Barbeau' s  neighbors  on  Water  Street  in  the 
sixties  were  Mr.  M.  W.  Scranton,  who  also  afterward  lived  in 
the  Indian  Agency  building,  and  Mr.  George  W.  Brown,  Super- 
intendent of  the  State  Ship  Canal.  The  outlines  of  the  old 
race-way  and  the  foundations  of  the  water-power  mill  were 
still  visible  near  by. 

Church  History. 

Mr.  Easterday' s  church,  so  small  in  its  beginnings,  grew 
nicely.  A  Sunday  School  was  organized,  with  Mrs.  Edward 
Ashmun  in  charge  of  fourteen  children.  When  Mr.  Easterday 
was  forced  by  ill  health  to  resign  his  pastorate  in  1880,  he 
turned  over  to  the  Reverend  Alexander  Danskin  a  membership 
of  one  hundred  in  the  church  and  nearly  as  many  in  the  Sunday 
School.  A  good  church  building,  commodious  for  the  times 
and  costing  nearly  $3,000.00,  had  been  erected  and  presented 
to  the  congregation  by  Mr.  Charles  T.  Harvey.        This  building 

158 


stood  on  the  lot  just  east  of  the  site  of  the  Murray  Hill  Hotel, 
and  was  a  tamiliar  landmark  to  many  now  residing  here. 

His  health  recruited  in  the  West,  Mr.  Easterday  returned 
to  this  city  and  has  made  it  his  home.  Always  prominent  in  the 
jreligious  and  social  life  of  the  city  and  the  county,  he  has  held 
various  public  offices,  and  he  has  had  a  particular  interest  in 
the  schools  of  the  community.  He  was  Commissioner  of  Schools 
for  Chippewa  County  for  many  years,  and  he  conducted  the  old 
village  school  which  stood  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Ridge  and 
Maple  Streets.  Many  old  citizens  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  and 
Chippewa  County  have  gone  to  Mr.  Easterday's  school  or  en- 
joyed his  paternal  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  country  schools. 

Mr.  Easterday,  who  has  been  honored  by  his  alma  mater 
with  D.  D.  and  M.  A.  degrees,  is  now  marrying  young  people 
whose  parents  and  grand-parents  were  united  in  marriage  by 
him  up  to  fifty  years  ago.  His  remarkable  record  of  far  over 
three  thousand  marriages  is  believed  to  be  unequaled  in  the 
country  if  not  in  the  world.  He  has  thus  been  responsible  prob- 
ably for  more  happiness — some  will  say  misery,  of  course — - 
than  any  other  known  living  man. 

Universally  Beloved 

Many  decades  of  service  to  mankind  have  but  served  to 
confirm  Mr.  Easterday's  faith  in  his  fellows,  and  the  regard  of 
his  friends  for  him.  He  has  been  the  guide,  counsellor  and 
friend  of  thousands.  There  is  no  other  man  in  Michigan  more 
esteemed  in  his  own  community.  No  other  resident  of  Chip- 
pewa County  is  better  known  or  respected  than  this  venerable 
and  universally  beloved  citizen  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

About  the  time  of  Mr.  Easterday's  coming,  the  cemetery  of 
old  Fort  Brady  was  located  on  what  v/as  known  as  Fort  Street, 
since  renamed  Armory  Place.  Graves  occupied  the  ground 
where  the  Armory  now  stands.  The  village  cemetery  was  in 
the  space  now  bounded  by  Ashmun,  Ridge  and  Spruce  Streets 
and  City  Hall  Alley,  and  it  included  of  course  the  grounds  and 
the  site  of  the  present  City  Hall.  The  garrison  cemetery  was 
in  the  same  locality  as  an  ancient  burial-ground  of  the  Chip- 
pewa Indians. 

Tangled  Land  Titles 

A  United  States  Land  Office  was  doing  business  on  Water 
Street,  with  Ebenezer  Warner  and  H.  R.  Pratt  in  charge. 
Land  titles  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie  were  in  a  somewhat  confused 
state.  Thomas  Whelpley  had  made  a  survey  and  a  complete 
plat  of  the  village,  but  the  de  Repentigny  claims  had  not  been 
settled,  and  squatter  tenures  conflicted  with  private  land  claims 
and  Indian  treaty  rights,  especially  on  the  shore  lands  which 
were  becoming  valuable.      When  Peter  Barbeau  took  over  the 

159 


Indian  Agency  and  grounds  in  the  vicinity  of  the  present  Mich- 
igan Northern  Power  building,  he  claimed  and  took  possession 
of  an  entire  street,  not  graded  then  but  known  on  the  maps  of 
the  period  as  Chippewa  Street.  When  it  was  completed  in 
after  years  it  took  the  name  of  the  former  owner  of  the  ground. 
Other  streets  and  avenues  of  modern  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
named  for  pioneers,  are  Easterday  Avenue,  Bingham  Avenue, 
Ashmun,  Peck,  Ord,  Johnston,  Dawson,  Brady,  Seymour, 
Brown,  and  Ferris  Streets. 

The  Mystery  Man 

James  Ord,  United  States  Indian  Agent  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
after  the  departure  of  Henry  Schoolcraft,  was  the  Mystery  Man 
of  the  village  in  former  days.  He  and  his  beautiful  wife  lived 
in  seclusion  at  the  Agency,  aloof  from  people  of  the  town,  but 
constantly  receiving  visits  from  unknown  people  of  apparent 
quality,  who  came  and  went  ofttimes  in  the  night.  Ord  was 
said  to  be  the  son  of  the  King  of  England,  of  the  King  of 
France,  or  of  a  German  nobleman.  Letters  with  great  seals 
came  to  him  from  abroad.  The  day  came  when  he  disappear- 
ed, upon  the  receipt  of  a  particularly  gorgeous  missive,  and 
travelers  from  the  north  country  in  after  years  fancied  they 
saw  him  in  high  circles  at  the  court  of  St.  James. 

Street  Names 

Bingham  Avenue,  on  or  near  which  old  pathway  the  first 
Roman  Catholic  and  Protestant  Missions  were  erected,  was 
known  for  many  years  as  Church  Street. 

Portage  Avenue,  Portage  Road,  or  The  Portage,  as  it  was 
called  in  the  old  days,  served  as  an  ancient  portage  for  the 
transportation  of  merchandise  around  the  rapids,  only  on  that 
part  of  it  west  of  Douglas  Street  and  east  of  the  present  Alto 
Hotel.  Eastbound  goods  were  unloaded  at  a  point  west  of  the 
railroad  bridge  about  on  the  northern  line  of  the  ship-canal, 
the  canal  of  course  having  wiped  out  the  western  section  of  the 
old  portage  road.  The  goods  were  hauled  down  the  present 
line  of  Portage  avenue  as  far  as  Douglas  Street,  where  the 
portage  curved  to  the  north.  It  then  took  the  present  line  of 
Water  Street  to  and  a  trifle  east  of  the  still  existing  warehouse 
of  the  American  Fur  Company. 

When  Mr.  Fred  W.  Roach  came  to  Sault  Ste.  Maris  with 
his  father  Mr.  Ashbell  B.  Roach  in  1865,  the  woods  were  thick 
where  Magazine  Street  now  is.  Spalding  &  Childs  were  in 
business  here  about  that  time,  and  they  dealt  among  other 
merchandise  in  blasting  powder,  which  for  safety's  sake  was 
stored  in  a  small  building  in  the  woods  to  the  west  of  the  vil- 
lage. This  building  was  known  as  the  powder-house  or  maga- 
zine.     It  was  nearly  on  the  line  of  Magazine  Street,   and  the 

160 


Torii  and  Lanterns  in  Government  Park 
Gifts  of  Hon.  Chase  S.  Osborn 


latter  took  its  name  from  that  circumstance,  and  not  from  any 
connection  with  Fort  Brady  as  is  generally  supposed. 

John  Newton  Adams  Is  Honored 

When  Mr.  R.  N.  Adams  platted  his  additions  to  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  in  1887,  he  named  three  streets  in  these  additions  John, 
Newton,  and  Adams,  for  his  son,  who  is  now  a  City  Commis- 
sioner. Two  other  streets,  Ann  and  Augusta,  take  their  names 
from  that  of  Mr.  Adam's  daughter,  Mrs.  W.  F.  Ferguson. 

The  southward  leg  of  Douglas  Street,  from  Ridge  to  Spruce, 
was  shown  on  the  old  plats  as  Sobraro  Street,  from  Mr.  Frank 
Sobraro,  the  former  owner  of  considerable  property  in  the 
vicinity.  Mission  Road  takes  its  name  from  the  fact  that  the 
first  Methodist  Episcopal  Mission  was  a  little  to  the  eastward 
of  it. 

The  Roach  Homestead 

The  Roach  homestead,  built  by  Mr.  Ashbeli  B.  Roach  in 
1872,  is  familiarly  remembered  by  most  Saulteurs,  standing 
prominently  as  it  did  on  Ashmun  street  at  the  water-power 
canal.  This  house  was  removed  to  make  room  for  the  Soo 
Ford  Auto  Company,  and  with  it  went  the  magnificent  elm 
treet  planted  by  Mr.  Roach  in  the  centennial  year  1876.  The 
Republic  having  reached  its  one  hundredth  birthday,  President 
Grant  called  upon  the  people  of  the  country  to  commemorate 
the  event  by  the  planting  of  trees,  and  there  are  a  few  trees  still 
standing  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie  which  recall  that  happy  occasion. 

The  Ashbeli  Roach  home  was  at  the  time  of  its  construction 
the  first  house  south  of  the  Hotel  Superior,  which  is  also  re- 
membered by  many  of  the  residents  of  the  city.  The  com- 
munity's banking  was  done  at  Detroit,  and  Mr.  Easterday  was 
for  some  years  the  local  representative  of  the  People's  Savings 
Bank  of  Detroit. 

Navigation  on  St.  Maury's 

There  were  no  light-houses  on  St.  Mary's  River  or  Lake 
Superior  then,  and  navigation  usually  came  to  a  stop  at  sun- 
down. Bulk  and  package  freight  on  the  upper  lakes  was  han- 
dled to  a  great  extent  in  schooners  of  three  to  four  hundred 
tons  burden,  which  were  pulled  by  tugs  through  the  river  chan- 
nels and  the  ship  canal.  Mr.  L.  P.  Trempe  owned  a  fleet  of 
tugs  which  towed  these  schooners  up  from  DeTour  or  down 
from  Whitefish  or  Bay  Mills.  Outside  the  river  the  diminu- 
tive freighters  cast  off  and  sailed  away. 

The  Eber  Ward  liners  were  the  best  known  boats  on  the 
lakes  in  1870.  About  1875  the  Anchor  Line  brought  out  the 
iron  steamers  China,  Japan,  and  India,  massive  and  wonderful 
in   their   time,   but  tiny  now.      Other   steamers  of   the  period, 

161 


still  remembered  by  old  time  vessel  men,  were  the  Arctic,  At- 
lantic, Pacific,  Empire  State,  Badger  State  and  Winslow;  the 
Canadian  liners  Asia,  Africa  and  Sovereign;  the  Cuyahoga  and 
the  Norman;  the  City  of  Traverse,  Jay  Gould,  the  City  of  Du- 
luth;  and  most  celebrated  of  all,  the  Peerless,  the  finest  boat  on 
the  Great  Lakes  in  1870. 

The  approach  to  the  State  Locks  from  the  village  was  over 
a  small  bridge,  with  running  water  and  a  pool  beneath,  so  deep 
that  drownings  have  happened  there.  The  village  circus  grounds 
were  just  southeast  of  the  fountain  in  Lock  Park,  and  the  circus 
came  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie  by  boat.  The  stores  were  on  the 
north  side  of  Water  Street,  and  each  store  had  its  private  dock. 
Peter  Barbeau  owned  the  first  store  west  of  Ashmun  Street  on 
Water  Street,  and  was  afterward  succeeded  by  his  son-in-law 
M.  W.  Scranton. 

Early  Financing 

There  was  no  great  need  of  a  local  bank  at  that  time,  as 
there  was  but  little  currency  in  the  village.  In  the  winter  sea- 
son the  Fort  Brady  soldiers*  pay  checks  were  the  largest  med- 
ium of  exchange.  The  three  or  four  stores  issued  tokens  or 
printed  cardboard  checks  of  various  colors  according  to  de- 
nominations. A  token  reading  "Good  for  50  cents,  Thomas 
Ryan,'*  or  signed  by  Trempe  &  Bros.,  or  M.  W.  Scranton, 
might  pass  from  hand  to  hand  as  currency  all  winter  long,  and 
would  be  accepted  as  currency  at  any  store.  In  the  spring  the 
merchants  held  a  clearing  house  and  liquidated  their  outstand- 
ing obligations  in  tokens.  So  universal  was  the  use  of  this  local 
currency  that  the  churches  took  considerable  amounts  of  it  in 
their  Sunday  collections. 

A  Rainy  Night  at  the  Show 

The  first  theatre  in  the  Sault  was  originally  an  old  Govern- 
ment warehouse  which  stood  where  now  is  the  north-west  cor- 
ner of  Brady  Field.  The  building  stood  over  the  river  on  a 
pile  dock,  and  the  first  play  shown  there  was  "East  Lynne," 
back  in  the  seventies.  Afterward  local  talent  and  companies 
from  below  used  a  skating  rink  as  a  theatre,  which  stood  in 
Ashmun  Alley  where  B danger's  livery  is  now.  This  building 
was  in  rather  dilapidated  condition,  and  old  residents  recall 
their  visits  to  the  theatre  on  rainy  nights,  when  they  sat  with 
raised  umbrellas  while  the  show  proceeded. 

Smith's  Hall 

Smith's  Hall  was  a  noted  place  of  amusement  in  the  Sault 
in  the  late  seventies.  It  was  owned  and  operated  by  "Gassey" 
Smith,  locally  famous  as  an  actor  and  comedian,  and  it  stood 
on  the  present  site  of  Charles  Beckingham's  store.       Pete  Rivers 

162 


owned  and  managed  another  theater  on  Water  Street.  Both 
these  show  houses  were  successful  until  the  boom  times  in  the 
eighties  brought  out  the  old  Opera  House  on  Arlington  Street, 
which  did  an  excellent  business  under  the  management  of  Mr. 
Percy  Jordan  up  to  the  time  of  its  destruction  by  fire  in  1917. 

The  Grand  Opera  House  was  constructed  in  1886-87  on 
Court  Street,  by  outside  capital.  This  structure  was  afterward 
remodeled  and  enlarged  and  is  now  the  First  Baptist  Church 
building. 

When  Gage  and  Whait  erected  a  hardware  store  on  the 
present  site  of  the  Soo  Hardware  retail  building,  it  was  about 
the  first  business  place  standing  in  the  village  south  of  Water 
Street.  Their  advertisement  in  the  Chippewa  County  News 
mentioned  their  location  as  the  Mackinac  Road  near  the  Court 
House.  This  Mackinac  Road,  of  course,  became  Ashmun 
Street,  named  for  Mr.  Samuel  Ashmun,  father  of  Mr.  Edward 
Ashmun,  former  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  Postmaster  of  the 
village. 

A  Most  Unusual  Case 

It  was  Judge  Ashmun  who  tried  in  the  township  court  the 
classic  case  of  Jerry  Brennan.  Here  is  the  record,  taken  ver- 
batim from  the  minutes  of  the  court  clerk: 

People  of  The  State  of  Michigan 

vs.  >     ss 

Jerry  Brennan  J 

January  7,   1873. 

Sault  Ste.   Marie  Township   Justice  Court 
before  Edward  Ashmun,   Esquire, 
Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Warrant  issued  Jan.  7,  1873,  against  Jerry  Brennan,  on 
complaint  of  Lester  McKnight,  on  a  charge  of  intoxication. 
Warrant  made  returnable  forthwith,  same  being  personally 
served. 

Defendant  duly  appeared  in  court  and  plead  not  guilty. 
Geo.  W.  Brown  appeared  as  prosecuting  attorney  for  the  peo- 
ple. 

Lester  McKnight,  sworn,  says  he  saw  Jerry  Brennan  drunk 
on  the  6th  inst.,  about  4  o'clock  p.  m.     Says  he  was  staggering. 

Jerry  Brennan,  sworn,  says  he  took  two  small  drinks  at  his 
home  on  the  6th  January,  1873,  and  that  he  got  his  liquor  from 
his  sister-in-law  in  Detroit  last  fall  in  a  jug. 

Dr.  A.  P.  Heichhold,  sworn,  says  that  he  saw  defendant  on 
the  6th  inst.,  and  that  he  was  unsteady  on  his  feet.  Saw  him, 
the  defendant  on  the  street,  and  he  appeared  to  be  drunk.  Saw 
him  that  day  with  Parr,  the  butcher,  getting  some  beef.  Asked 
Parr  if  Jerry  was  drunk,  and  he  said,  as  drunk  as  a  lord. 

163 


Thomas  Parr,  sworn,  says  that  he  saw  Jerry  Brennan  on  the 
6th  inst.,  that  Jerry  came  to  his  place  to  look  at  some  beef.  He 
thought  from  defendant's  appearance  that  he  was  drunk,  but 
not  drunk  enough  but  what  he  could  make  a  good  bargain. 
From  his  tongue,  he  appeared  to  be  drunk,  or  in  liquor. 

Bridget  Brennan,  sworn,  says  that  Jerry  Brennan  had  been 
drinking  beer  on  the  6th  January,   1873. 

George  Kemp,  sworn,  saw  Jerry  Brennan  on  the  6th  inst., 
about  1  o'clock  p.  m.,  he  appeared  to  have  taken  a  drink  or 
two. 

Pat  Murphy,  sworn,  I  board  at  Jerry  Brennan's.  Was  there 
yesterday  the  6th  January.     I  know  James  Sullivan. 

Question:  Did  he  give  you  any  money  to  buy  spirituous  or 
intoxicating  liquors? 

Answer:  He  gave  me  no  money  to  get  any  liquor,  only 
to  get  medicine. 

Question:  Do  you  know  if  Jerry  Brennan  drank  any  in- 
toxicating liquors  yesterday? 

Witness  would  not  answer. 

Question  repeated:  To  your  knowledge,  did  Jerry  Bren- 
nan drink  any  intoxicating  liquors  yesterday,  and  did  you  furn- 
ish him  with  the  same? 

Witness  reply:     I'll  be  damned  if  I'll  tell  you. 

Thereupon  the  said  witness  Pat  Murphy  was  committed  to 
jail  for  contempt  of  court,  and  court  adjourned  until  5  p.  m. 

Court  re-opened  at  5  p.  m.  Present  Edward  Ashmun,  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace,  for  the  people  Prosecuting  Attorney  Geo. 
W.  Brown.  Defendant  Jerry  Brennan  in  court.  Witness  Pat 
Murphy  brought  into  court  by  Sheriff  Francis  Lessard. 

Question  by  Prosecuting  Attorney  Brown:  Pat  Murphy, 
where  did  you  get  the  spirituous  or  intoxicating  liquors  that  you 
took  to  Jerry  Brennan  yesterday,  the  6th  January? 

Answer:  It's  none  of  your  business  where  I  got  it  and 
damned  if  I'll  tell  you. 

Question:  Did  you,  or  did  you  not  take  spirituous  or  in- 
toxicating liquors  to  Jerry  Brennan  yesterday,  Jan.  6th,   1873? 

Answer:     I'll  rot  in  jail  before  I'll  tell  you. 

Whereupon  said  witness  Patrick  Murphy  was  remanded  to 
jail  and  court  adjourned  until  Thursday,  Jan.  9th,  at  10  a.  m. 

Court  opened  Jan.  9th,  1873,  at  10  a.  m.,  Justice  of  the 
Peace  Ashmun  present,  Prosecuting  Attorney  Brown  appearing 
for  the  people.  Pat  Murphy  was  brought  into  court  by  Sheriff 
Francis  Lessard. 

Question  by  Prosecutor:  Witness  Pat  Murphy,  are  you  pre- 
pared to  tell  the  court  where  you  got  the  liquor  that  you  pro- 
cured for  Jerry  Brennan  Jan.   6th? 

Answer:     Do  you  remember  what  I  told  ye? 

Whereupon,  and  after  further  refusal  to  answer,  the  said 
Justice  did  commit  the  said  witness  Pat  Murphy  to  the  safe 

164 


keeping  of  the  keeper  of  the  jail  of  said  County,  until  the  said 
Pat  Murphy  would  so  testify,  or  until  he  was  discharged  there- 
from by  due  process  of  law.  And  the  court  stood  open  till 
such  time  as  the  said  Pat  Murphy  was  willing  to  testify  and 
answer  the  above  questions. 

And  on  the  1  3th  day  of  January,  1  873,  the  said  Pat  Murphy 
manifested  a  disposition  to  testify  and  answer  the  above  ques- 
tions as  above  required.  And  the  said  Pat  Murphy  did,  on  the 
said  13th  day  of  January,  1873,  make  the  following  affidavit, 
to  wit: 

State  of  Michigan     | 
Chippewa  County     J 

Pat  Murphy,  being  duly  sworn,  deposes  and  says  that  Jerry 
Brennan,  the  defendant  in  the  above  case,  did  drink  spirituous 
and  intoxicating  liquors  on  the  6th  January,  1873,  and  that  he, 
the  said  deponent,  Pat  Murphy,  did  obtain  the  said  spirituous 
or  intoxicating  liquors  that  the  said  Jerry  Brennan  so  drank  of 
one  Tom  Ready  in  the  Township  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  in  said 
County,  on  the  6th  day  of  January,   1873. 

signed,  Pat  Murphy. 

Thereupon  the  Justice  ordered  the  keeper  of  the  jail  to  dis- 
charge Pat  Murphy  from  custody,  and  also  Jerry  Brennar,  prev- 
iously committed. 

Thus  was  even-handed  justice  dispensed  in  the  old  days, 
justice  tempered  with  mercy.  Jerry  had  a  good  time,  Tom  got 
the  money,  and  the  loyal  Pat  suffered  for  his  friend. 

"Soo  law"  was  famous  in  the  seventies  and  the  eighties  for 
its  rough  and  ready  justice.  The  local  justices  were  impatient 
with  the  Gordian  knots  of  legal  technicalities.  They  hadn't 
the  time  to  untie  these  knots,  so  they  cut  them  with  the  sword  of 
expedition.  They  scorned  the  law  books  and  made  their 
law  to  order,  and  often  it  was  very  fair  law,  too. 

Fined  "For  Not  Killing  the  Cuss" 

A  case  involving  the  misrepresentation  of  some  good 
came  up  in  the  village  justice  court.  The  buyer  had  winged 
the  seller  with  a  pistol  in  the  endeavor  to  get  restitution.  The 
latter  brought  action  for  assault.  The  justice  heard  the  case 
with  great  gravity  and  found  the  defendant  not  guilty,  but  he 
fined  him  five  dollars  anyway  "for  not  killing  the  cuss." 

In  1 8  79,  Mr.  Thomas  Ryan,  who  owned  several  hundred 
acies  of  land  on  and  in  the  vicinity  of  old  Butte  de  Terre, 
afterwards  known  as  Chandler  Heights,  sold  one  hundred  and 
fifty  acres  of  land  to  Mr.  Robert  N.  Adams.  Mr.  Adams, 
who  came  here  from  Huron  County,  Ontario,  in  that  year,  clear- 
ed the  land,   and  as  the  community  grew,   he  subdivided  the 

165 


property  into  city  lots.        Now  practically  all  of  it  is  within  the 
corporate  limits  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

Mr.  Adams  has  seen  the  little  village  of  his  adoption  grow 
into  a  thriving  city.  From  his  office  on  the  sixth  floor  of 
the  Adams  Building,  erected  in  1903  and  one  of  the  finest  in 
the  Upper  Peninsula,  he  can  look  out  over  his  former  farm, 
since  become  one  of  the  most  attractive  sections  of  the  city.  The 
community  and  the  district  have  honored  him  with  many  public 
offices,  and  it  is  likely  that  no  one  has  contributed  more  to  its 
civic  and  material  development. 

A  Trip  of  Inspection 

In  the  year  of  Mr.  Adams'  coming  to  the  Sault,  he  made  a 
journey  of  inspection  southward  through  the  Peninsula  as  far 
as  Stirlingville.  The  first  day  he  was  able  to  get  as  far  as  the 
William  Welsh  homestead  on  the  Mackinaw  Road,  there  being 
barely  a  path  through  the  woods  on  the  Pickford  Meridian 
at  that  time.  The  next  day  he  proceeded  out  the  Mackinaw 
Road  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles  from  the  Soo,  turned  on  a 
trail  to  the  left,  and  by  hard  work  he  managed  to  get  through 
the  woods  and  swamps  that  night  to  Stirlingville,  four  miles 
from  the  present  village  of  Pickford.     He  came  home  by  boat. 

The  principal  stores  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie  at  the  time  of  Mr. 
Adams'  arrival  were  all  on  Water  Street  and  were  owned  by 
Mr.  William  Given,  Mr.  L.  P.  Trempe,  Prenzlauer  Brothers,  and 
Mr.  M.  W.  Scranton.  Mr.  Scranton  was  postmaster,  and  the 
postoffice  occupied  a  corner  of  his  hardware  store.  The 
churches  had  increased  to  three,  the  Rev.  Father  Chartier  being 
pastor  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  the  Reverend  Mr.  Brown 
of  the  Methodist,  and  the  Reverend  Mr.  Easterday  of  the  Pres- 
byterian. Mr.  Henry  Seymour  operated  a  saw-mill  near  the 
present  location  of  the  ferry  dock,  and  lived  in  Mrs.  George 
Kemp's  present  home,  which  was  then  on  Portage  Avenue. 

Road  to  Sault  Was  Only  a  Path 

When  Mr.  Neil  Mclnnis  came  north  from  Canada  in  1  882 
with  Mrs.  Mclnnis  and  their  family  of  six,  he  was  also  bound 
for  Stirlingville.  The  land  in  what  is  now  Pickford  Township 
was  recognized  as  having  excellent  farming  possibilities,  and 
the  practical  way  to  get  there  was  by  boat  down  the  St.  Mary's 
and  up  the  Munoskong  to  the  limit  of  its  navigable  waters  at 
Stirlingville.  The  trip  by  sailboat  took  three  days,  and  the 
fare  for  the  family  was  twenty  dollars.  The  Reverend  Mr. 
Davidson  had  a  small  Presbyterian  church  at  Stirlingville,  and 
Mr.  Henry  Pickford  owned  a  still  smaller  store  at  Pickford. 
Bear  and  deer  were  everywhere.  Often  the  settlers  were  with- 
out flour  or  sugar  for  some  time,  and  the  road  to  the  Sault  was 

1166 


nothing  but  a  winding  and  at  times  impassable  trail  through  the 
bush. 

Among  the  other  families  first  in  the  Pickford  and  Stirling- 
ville  region  were  the  Campbells,  the  Rouses,  Cleggs,  Taylors, 
Stirlings,  Roes,  Hills  and  Christies.  Most  of  the  settlers  there 
came  from  Canada,  and  it  is  estimated  by  competent  authori- 
ses that  sixty  per  cent  of  the  residents  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and 
seventy-five  per  cent  cf  the  people  in  Chippewa  County,  are  of 
Canadian  descent. 


Bankers  Look  Town  Over 

With  the  construction  of  the  Weitzel  lock  and  the  looming 
of  three  railroads  on  the  Sault  horizon,  the  town  began  to  pre- 
sent good  banking  possibilities.  Mr.  Otto  Fowle  and  Mr. 
Homer  Mead  of  Hillsdale  County,  Michigan,  came  up  to  look 
the  town  over  in  February,  1883.  The  Michigan  Central  tracks 
then  as  now  extended  to  Mackinaw  City,  and  the  overland  trip 
from  St.  Ignace  to  the  Sault  consumed  two  days. 

The  sleigh  pulled  up  for  a  moment  on  the  brow  of  Ashmun 
Hill,  and  the  newcomers  crawled  out  from  under  their  furs  and 
blankets  and  surveyed  the  snowy  village  with  interest.  On 
their  right  as  they  came  down  the  hill  were  the  farm-house  and 
buildings  of  Mr.  R.  N.  Adams.  The  next  house,  on  the  left, 
was  Mr.  Ashbell  Roach's  home.  From  there  the  houses  grew 
thicker  toward  Spruce  Street,  and  from  the  latter,  Ashmun 
Street  narrowed  considerably,  so  that  from  Ridge  Street  to 
Portage  Avenue  it  was  but  a  lane  twenty-eight  feet  in  width, 
ending  at  Portage  Avenue. 

The  travelers  proceeded  westward  on  Portage  Avenue  to 
Plank  Alley,  west  of  the  present  Conway  &  Hall's  drug-store, 
thence  to  Water  Street.  There  were  some  saloons  and  one- 
story  buildings  on  the  east  side  of  Plank  Alley,  but  most  of  the 
business  places  were  still  on  Water  Street.  The  latter  extended 
from  Douglas  Street  or  Canal  Park  on  the  west  to  a  picket  fence 
and  gate  which  stood  on  a  line  with  the  eastern  boundary  of 
the  Hursley  home  lot.  The  Fort  Brady  grounds  had  been  ex- 
tended westward  somewhat,  the  stockade  had  been  removed, 
and  this  fence  was  the  western  limit  of  the  fort  grounds. 

There  were  but  three  brick  buildings  in  the  village — the 
Catholic  Church,  the  school  which  now  forms  part  of  the  Junior 
High  School  building,  and  Mr.  Andrew  Blank's  residence  on 
West  Portage  Avenue. 

There  were  three  stone  buildings — the  front  part  of  the 
present  court-house,  a  stone  building  just  east  of  the  Catholic 
school,  known  as  Alderman's  Delight,  and  the  power  building 
of  the  old  lock.  The  census  of  1880  had  enumerated  1,947 
inhabitants  in  the  village. 

167 


Village  Prospered 

Mr.  Fowle  was  impressed  with  the  natural  advantages  of 
the  place  and  its  possibilities,  and  in  1883,  with  his  brother- 
in-law  Mr.  E.  H.  Mead,  he  opened  the  Chippewa  County  Bank 
on  Water  Street.  Prospective  stockholders  were  scarce  end  the 
business  was  hazardous.  The  nearest  railroad,  express  and 
telegraph  were  sixty-five  miles  away,  and  the  winter  road  there- 
to led  through  swamps  and  forests.  There  was  ao  way  to 
transfer  funds  in  the  winter  season  other  than  to  take  them  in 
person. 

But  the  village  prospered  and  so  did  the  bank.  Capitalized 
at  $10,000.00,  it  continued  as  a  private  bank  until  1886, 
when  it  was  re-organized  as  the  First  National  Bank  of  Sault 
Ste.  Marie.  Under  this  name  it  has  continued  to  the  present, 
having  grown  under  the  guidance  of  Mr.  Fowle  and  Mr.  Mead 
and  their  successors  until  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Fowle' s  death  its 
resources  were  about  two  million  dollars. 

On  the  night  of  August  9th,  1886,  fire  broke  out  in  a 
saloon  on  Plank  Alley,  and  consumed  nearly  all  the  buildings 
on  the  south  side  of  Water  Street,  and  a  number  of  others  on 
Portage.  Over  half  the  business  buildings  of  the  village  were 
burned.  The  bank  premises  were  destroyed,  but  the  bank 
safe's  contents  were  found  to  be  uninjured,  including  some 
$25,000.00  in  currency.  Business  was  resumed  in  the  former 
office  of  Attorney  H.  M.  Oren,  but  the  safe  had  been  warped 
by  heat,  and  its  doors  had  to  be  opened  daily  with  a  pickaxe 
and  closed  with  a  cedar  post  battering-ram.  This  safe  was  in 
use  as  the  bank's  depositary  during  the  boom  of  1887,  and  it 
frequently  held  as  much  as  $100,000.00  in  currency. 

The  fire  of  '86  and  another  in  '96  were  a  blessing  in  dis- 
guise to  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  They  forced  the  business  center  over 
to  Portage  Avenue  and  to  Ashmun  Street,  and  brought  much 
new  and  better  construction  in  that  district.  The  first  fire  was 
followed  by  a  short  lived  but  whirlwind  boom  in  1887.  Water- 
power  canal  projects  were  under  way,  the  D.  S.  S.  &  A.  Rail- 
way reached  the  village  that  fall,  the  C.  P.  R.  bridge  was  build- 
ing, and  work  on  the  Poe  lock  was  commenced  the  same  year. 
The  village  was  situated  on  one  of  the  world's  greatest  water- 
ways, there  was  a  potentially  splendid  farming  country  behind 
it,  with  great  supplies  of  timber,  its  shipping  facilities  were  ex- 
cellent, and  it  appeared  to  be  due  for  a  boom.  When  Mr.  H. 
M.  Oren  wired  from  St.  Ignace  that  fourteen  boomers  were 
there,  in  mink-skin  coats  and  plug  hats,  trying  to  get  convey- 
ances to  the  Soo,  local  property  owners  resolved  to  maintain 
stiff  prices  and  require  payments  of  at  least  one  half  in  cash. 

Real  Estate  Boomed 

Practically  all  the  property  in   the  village  changed  hands 

168 


within  ninety  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  plug  hats,  and  at 
prices  never  reached  before  or  since.  For  instance,  there  was 
the  old  White  House,  which  stood  on  Portage  Avenue  opposite 
the  Park  Hotel.  The  oldest  inhabitant  cannot  remember  when 
this  building  was  erected.  It  must  have  been  built  prior  to 
1  845.  We  know  that  the  building  and  the  lot  on  which  it  stood 
sold  in  1867  for  $350.00.  This  did  not  include  the  piece  of 
land  behind  it,  extending  through  to  Water  Street.  This  was 
formerly  owned  by  Mr.  Jack  Riley,  who  once  offered  to  sell  it 
for  a  pair  of  boots.  The  proposition  was  refused.  But  later 
Mr.  Henry  La  Londe  paid  Mr.  Riley  $26.00  for  it.  In  1887  Mr. 
La  Londe  sold  the  combined  properties  for  $31,500.00. 

In  a  few  weeks  the  boom  was  over  and  the  boomers  dis- 
appeared, while  the  townspeople  endeavored  with  more  or  less 
success  to  return  to  normalcy.  The  community,  which  had  or- 
ganized as  a  village  in  1 8  74,  with  Peter  Barbeau  as  its  first 
president,  now  felt  strong  enough  to  assume  a  city's  status,  and 
a  city  charter  was  applied  for  and  received  from  the  State  Leg- 
islature. The  first  city  election  was  held  in  1887,  and  Otto 
Fowle,  Republican,  contested  the  mayor's  office  with  Geo.  W. 
Brown,  Democrat.  The  latter  won,  but  two  years  later  Mr. 
Fowle  was  the  victor. 

The  First  City  Council 

The  following  gentlemen  composed  the  first  city  council  of 
Sault  Ste.  Marie:  W.  B.  Cady,  H.  L.  Newton,  A.  E.  Bacon,  E. 
J.  Pink,  George  Blank,  S.  F.  Howie,  Malcolm  Blue,  Jos.  S. 
Burchill,  H.  M.  Oren,  J.  E.  La  Montagne,  A.  F.  Hursley,  and  E. 
J.  Penny. 

Mr.  Fowle  took  a  leading  part  in  the  public  affairs  of  city 
and  county,  and  was  one  of  the  best  citizens  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
ever  had.  In  1890  he  was  active  in  promoting  the  issuance  of 
city  paving  bonds  for  $25,000.00.  In  the  advertisement  for 
the  sale  of  these  bonds,  the  population  of  the  city  in  that  year 
was  stated  to  be  approximately  9,000.  In  the  same  year  the 
Board  of  County  Supervisors  voted  to  bond  the  county  for 
$25,000  for  the  purpose  of  constructing  a  gravel  road  from 
Sault  Ste.  Marie  to  Pickford. 

As  far  back  as  1850  the  harnessing  of  the  enormous  water- 
power  in  St.  Mary's  River  had  been  mooted.  In  the  fifties 
Samuel  Whitney  of  New  York  had  taken  title  to  the  old  Meth- 
odist Mission  property,  and  had  acquired  an  interest  as  well  in 
the  Bendrie  Claim  above  the  falls.  These,  the  proposed  ter- 
minals of  a  water-power  canal,  were  approximately  three  miles 
apart,  and  they  constituted  the  ends  of  a  depression  where  the 
water  had  passed  around  the  falls  in  ages  gone  by. 

In  the  seventies  Henry  Seymour,  lumberman,  interested  De- 
troit parties  in  a  water-power  project.  They  took  over  the 
Whitney  interest,  but  their  titles  were  defective,  and  could  be 

169 


perfected  only  by  legal  means.  Pending  these,  they  engaged 
Colonel  Duffield,  a  Detroit  engineer,  to  make  surveys,  plans 
and  estimates  for  a  power  canal.  The  State  Legislature  passed 
a  bill  clearing  the  way  for  the  organization  of  a  water-power 
company. 

Company  Is  Formed 

Local  agitation  for  water-power  development  continued 
until  1885,  when  the  village  voted  $40,000.00  to  construct  a 
water- works  system,  the  same  to  be  operated  by  water  power. 
A  construction  company  was  organized  by  Otto  Fowle  and 
William  Chandler,  and  they  were  joined  by  Frank  Perry,  Louis 
Trempe,  P.  M.  Church,  George  Kemp,  Joshua  Greene,  Geo. 
W.  Brown,  Henry  Seymour  and  R.  N.  Alams. 

Availing  themselves  of  the  legislative  act  above  mentioned, 
they  took  over  the  locations  held  by  Mr.  Seymour  and  the  De- 
troiters  and  acquired  some  intermediate  right-of-way  property. 
They  soon  spent  the  $40,000  appropriation,  and  $20,000  more 
with  it.  They  had  set  out  to  establish  a  water-power  canal, 
and  not  to  make  money  out  of  the  project;  and  having  used 
up  their  cash  resources,  they  cast  about  for  further  help  and 
succeeded  in  interesting  a  syndicate  of  western  capitalists.  Cer- 
tain rights  were  transferred,  granting  to  St.  Mary's  Falls  Water 
Power  Company  a  franchise  to  construct  and  maintain  a  canal 
and  penstocks  for  water-power  purposes  across  and  through 
the  streets,  highways,  lanes  and  alleys  of  the  village  of  Sault 
Ste.  Marie,  and  setting  aside  certain  lands  within  the  village  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  the  canal. 

The  new  owners  agreed  to  spend  $50,000  in  construction 
work  within  twelve  months  from  March,  1  887,  and  an  additional 
$50,000  within  eighteen  months  from  that  date.  If  they  failed  to 
do  this  they  bound  themselves  to  return  a  majority  of  the  stock 
to  the  three  trustees  of  the  selling  company.  It  was  proposed  to 
increase  the  width  of  the  canal  to  150  feet,  and  more  land  was 
purchased  for  that  purpose.  The  boom  of  1887  was  on,  own- 
ers held  their  property  at  fabulous  prices,  and  a  perfected  title 
to  the  mission  farm  alone,  at  the  lower  end  of  the  proposed 
canal,  cost  the  promoters  $60,000. 

The  syndicate  failed  to  fulfill  the  terms  of  its  contract 
and  matters  again  came  to  a  standstill.  Then  it  proposed  to 
find  $100,000  more  to  be  used  in  actual  construction,  provided 
the  citizens  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  would  do  the  same.  This  was 
done,  and  work  was  started  once  more.  The  $200,000  partially 
completed  the  canal  and  operations  ceased.  A  country-wide 
financial  depression  ensued,  the  company  could  not  bond,  and 
the  outlook  appeared  black  indeed. 

Fowle  Didn't  Lose  Heart 

Mr.  Fowle,  chairman  of  the  negotiating  committee  acting 

170 


for  local  citizens,  did  not  lose  heart  however,  nor  did  his  as- 
sociates. A  period  of  fruitless  bargaining  with  various  promoters 
and  capitalists  followed,  during  which  the  local  company  re- 
acquired title  to  the  canal  through  foreclosure  of  the  right-of- 
way  bonds.  Some  wealthy  New  York  and  Chicago  men  propos- 
ed to  complete  the  canal  and  construct  big  pulp  and  paper  mills, 
but  nothing  came  of  it. 

The  climax  of  this  story  of  alternate  hopes  and  discourage- 
ments is  told  by  Mr.  Alvah  L.  Sawyer  in  his  "History  of  the 
Northern  Peninsula  of  Michigan:"  "In  1893  there  came  to  the 
two  Soos  a  man  of  whom  little  was  known.  He  had  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  man  filled  with  confidence  and  was  inclined  to 
say  little.  Little  attention  was  paid  to  him,  although  it  was 
known  that  he  had  been  looking  over  a  ditch  in  the  Michigan 
Soo  in  which  had  been  buried  the  hopes,  money,  and  ambition 
of  engineers,  financiers  and  the  people  of  the  two  cities  for 
nearly  half  a  century.  This  was  the  water-power  canal,  and  the 
man  was  Francis  H.  Clergue. 

"It  was  not  long  before  those  who  held  the  mortgages  and 
the  right  of  way  of  the  canal  were  approached  by  Mr.  Clergue 
with  an  offer  to  buy  the  rights  and  begin  once  more  the  develop- 
ment of  this  great  water  power,  which  had  for  centuries  been 
running  to  waste  over  the  rapids  of  the  river.  They  were  ready 
enough  to  sell,  for  they  had  lost  all  the  money  they  cared  to  in 
the  ditch,  and  they  had  no  idea  but  that  the  newcomer  was  to 
do  the  same.  Some  laughed  at  him,  while  few  ever  dreamed  of 
his  success.  But  Clergue  bought  the  ditch  and  went  to  work 
seemed  more  and  more  unsurmountable,  so  much  more  deter- 
mined seemed  that  master  mind  which  was  planning. 

Canal  is  Completed 

"Day  after  day  the  work  was  prosecuted,  and  year  after 
year,  until  at  last  the  people,  even  the  most  skeptical,  began  to 
see  that  they  had  now  a  man  backed  with  plenty  of  money  and 
filled  with  an  energy  which  never  knew  the  meaning  of  the  word 
failure.  At  last  they  saw  the  canal  completed,  and  on  October 
25,  1902,  the  water  was  let  in  and  the  power  turned  on  in  the 
great  house  at  the  lower  end  of  the  canal.  Then  it  was  that  the 
whistle  cords  were  tied  down  on  every  whistle  in  the  Soo,  and 
the  people  of  the  two  cities  gave  way  to  rejoicing,  for  they 
saw  a  new  era  of  prosperity  opened  for  them."  Thus  the  vision 
of  the  people  of  the  Soo,  and  of  the  ten  citizens  of  '85  who  set 
out  to  build  a  water-power  canal,  materialized  in  a  gigantic  way, 
greater  by  far  perhaps  than  they  had  pictured  originally.  Most 
of  the  ten  lived  to  see  their  dream  come  true,  and  to  participate 
in  its  benefits,  even  though  the  project  had  passed  from  their 
hands.  It  was  a  mighty  struggle,  and  at  times  an  apparently 
hopeless  one,  but  their  faith  conquered  in  the  end,  and  the  final 
outcome  meant  much  to  the  city  and  to  them. 

171 


Through  the  initiative  of  Otto  Fowle  and  other  progressive 
citizens,  Sault  Ste.  Marie  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  city  water  long 
before  the  power  canal  was  completed.  The  community's  first 
water-works  system  was  a  two-wheeled  cart  loaded  with  bar- 
rels and  drawn  by  a  pony.  The  water  merchant  drove  into  the 
shallows  of  the  river  on  the  present  site  of  Brady  Field  and  filled 
and  delivered  his  customer's  barrel  for  a  quarter.  The  place  was 
a  favorite  resort  for  the  village  cows,  who  came  there  to  drink 
in  the  summer  and  to  bury  their  flanks  in  the  water,  thus  avoid- 
ing the  flies.  Frequently  the  carrier  filled  his  barrels  when  sur- 
rounded by  cattle.  It  is  recorded  that  many  old  inhabitants 
vigorously  protested  against  a  change  in  the  method  of  of  sup- 
ply, saying  that  barrel  delivery  was  good  enough  for  them. 

First  Pumping  Station 

The  first  pumping  station  was  erected  a  short  distance  west 
of  the  C.  P.  R.  bridge,  and  water  was  taken  a  little  way  cut  in 
the  stream.  As  the  city  grew,  a  change  became  inevitable  and 
the  present  station  was  built  at  the  west  end  of  Fourth  Avenue, 
far  away  from  any  possible  sewage  contamination.  With  Lake 
Superior  above,  the  greatest  natural  filter  in  the  world,  and  the 
rapids  below,  forever  drawing  down  fresh  supplies  and  foiling 
all  hazard  of  back-wash,  Sault  Ste.  Marie  enjoys  perpetual  re- 
serves of  the  finest  drinking  water  to  be  obtained  anywhere,  al- 
ways cool  and  sparkling  clear. 

Local  Bank  History 

Mr.  Fowle  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Sault  Savings 
Bank  in  1  886.  Its  first  location  was  on  the  west  side  of  Ash- 
mun  Street,  near  where  Bacon's  drug  store  now  stands.  The 
bank  occupied  its  present  beautiful  quarters  in  1 888.  The 
present  officers  are:  Mr.  M.  J.  Magee,  president;  Mr.  Henry 
Hickler,  vice-president;  Mr.  Herbert  Fletcher,  cashier;  Mr.  Her- 
man Taylor  and  Miss  May  Turner,  assistant  cashiers.  Mr. 
Magee  succeeds  Mr.  George  Kemp,  recently  deceased,  who  was 
born  and  bred  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  Mr.  Kemp,  an  exemplary 
citizen  and  always  loyal  to  his  home  town,  bequeathed  to  his 
city  one  of  the  most  valuable  dock  properties  on  the  Great 
Lakes. 

The  Central  Savings  Bank  received  its  charter  in  1902,  Mr. 
R.  N.  Adams  being  its  first  president.  In  the  same  year  Mr.  J. 
L.  Lipsett,  Mr.  E.  S.  B.  Sutton  and  others  organized  the  Chip- 
pewa County  Savings  Bank,  which  opened  for  business  in  the 
Brown  Block  on  South  Ashmun  Street.  Thus  the  city  had  four 
banks  at  one  period.  Three  years  later  these  banks  consoli- 
dated in  the  Central's  location.  Mr.  J.  L.  Lipsett  assumed  the 
presidency  of  the  combined  institutions  and  has  held  that  office 
since.      The   other   officers  are:      Mr.   C.   E.   Ainsworth,   vice- 

172 


president;  Mr.  A.  Wesley  Clarke,  cashier;  Mr.  C.  W.  Swart  and 
Mr.  P.  T.  Wines,  assistant  cashiers. 

The  present  officers  of  the  First  National  Bank,  originally 
organized  by  the  private  banking  firm  of  Mead  &  Fowle  in 
1886,  are:  Mr.  R.  G.  Ferguson,  president;  Mr.  E.  H.  Mead, 
vice-president;  Mr.  Fred  S.  Case,  vice-president  and  cashier; 
Mr.  Otto  McNaughton  and  Mr.  Donald  Finlayson,  assistant 
cashiers. 

These  three  strong  banks  have  played  a  vital  part  in  the 
upbuilding  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  and  Chippewa  County. 

The  Edison-Sault  Company 

The  beginnings  of  the  electric  lighting  industry  of  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  were  made  in  1887,  nine  years  after  electric  lights  were 
installed  in  the  capital  building  at  Washington.  The  Edison 
Sault  Electric  Light  Company's  power-house  at  that  time  was  at 
the  rapid' s  edge  near  the  present  third  lock.  There  was  con- 
siderable shortage  of  power  at  first,  owing  to  the  narrowness 
of  the  forebay  and  its  frequent  clogging  with  needle  ice.  The 
Edison  Sault  Electric  Company  succeeded  the  old  concern  in 
1891,  and  in  1905  a  new  power-house  was  constructed  well 
out  in  the  river,  thus  insuring  power  in  adequate  supply. 

The  teeth  of  the  laughing  tumbling  rapids  so  admired  by 
thousands  have  been  drawn,  and  their  countenance  has  been 
veiled  by  a  compensating  dam.  Once  a  terror  to  the  portaging 
voyageur,  they  work  now,  docilely  and  efficiently,  for  the  mod- 
ern Saulteur.  They  flood  his  streets  and  his  home  with  light. 
They  print  his  newspapers,  propel  his  street-cars,  and  cancel  the 
stamps  on  his  out-going  mail.  They  sharpen  the  butcher's 
knives  and  grind  his  sausage;  they  push  up  the  elevators  in  our 
office  buildings,  and  push  down  the  dentist's  filling  in  our 
aching  teeth.  They  furnish  us  grateful  warmth  in  the  evening1, 
hot  waffles  in  the  morning,  and  ice-cream  for  dessert.  They 
curl  milady's  hair  and  sew  her  gowns.  They  melt  limestone  at 
2,600  degrees  Fahrenheit,  and  freeze  poultry  at  20  below  zero. 
They  spin  a  fragile  electric  fan  or  raise  the  ponderous  leaf  of  a 
jack-knife  bridge  with  equal  facility.  They  reach  far  out  through 
Chippewa  County  and  perform  their  wonders  there.  Truly 
times  have  changed  since  the  days  of  the  ancient  Chippewas 
who  shot  the  rapids  or  their  enemies  with  equal  gusto. 

Fort  Brady  Is  Moved 

As  Sault  Ste.  Marie  grew  and  buildings  crowded  around  old 
Fort  Brady,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  find  another  location 
for  the  post.  By  Act  of  Congress,  July  8,  1886,  the  Secretary 
of  War  was  authorized  to  sell  the  old  military  reservation,  pur- 
chase a  new  site  and  erect  proper  buildings  upon  it.  In  the  early 
nineties  General  Sheridan  selected  the  present  location  on  the 

173 


hill.     The  garrison  occupied  the  new  post  in  October,   1893. 

A  part  of  ?he  old  reservation  was  sold  in  1  894,  the  present 
federal  building  let  being  reserved  and  placed  in  charge  of  the 
commanding  officer  at  Fort  Brady.  For  years  it  was  a  common, 
much  as  it  had  been  in  days  of  old.  When  Secretary  of  War 
Taft  proposed  to  sell  it,  a  vigorous  pretest  on  the  part  of  public 
spirited  citizens  resulted,  and  a  second  Act  of  Congress  set  it 
aside  definitely  for  public  building  purposes.  In  1908  Congress 
appropriated  $150,000  for  the  present  building,  and  two  years 
later  it  was  completed  and  occupied  by  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
postoffice   force   and   other  governmental   departments. 

Three  complete  postoffices  are  maintained  in  Sault  Ste. 
Marie,  in  the  federal  building  on  Portage  Avenue,  at  Fort 
Brady,  and  at  the  ship  canal.  The  latter  is  unique  in  that  it 
was  established  for  the  benefit  of  the  craft  passing  through  the 
locks.  It  is  open  twenty-four  hours  a  day  during  navigation, 
and  tourists  often  avail  themselves  of  its  facilities. 

The  second  great  fire  in  August,  1  896,  finished  Water  Street 
as  the  business  highway  of  the  city.  The  costliest  building  in 
the  city,  the  Sault  National  Bank  block,  the  Prenzlauer,  Metz- 
ger,  Perry  and  many  other  buildings  were  destroyed.  The 
historic  Chippewa  House  went  with  the  rest,  part  of  it  having 
been  built  sixty  years  before.  Many  present  day  Saulteurs  lost 
their  business  or  office  quarters  in  this  fire,  including  Mr.  Chase 
S.  Osborn,  Mr.  Otto  Supe,  Mr.  E.  S.  B.  Sutton,  Mr.  J.  W.  Shine, 
Judge  Charles  H  Chapman,  Mr.  T.  E.  Foard,  and  Mr.  M.  J. 
Magee.  Ashmun  Street  and  Portage  Avenue  succeeded  Water 
Street  as  business  centers,  and  their  strategic  location  seems 
likely  to  maintain  themselves  in  that  position  indefinitely. 
Company  G  Organized 

In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  Company  G,  Fifth  Michigan 
Infantry,  was  organized  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and  many  of  the 
city's  finest  young  men  enlisted  in  this  volunteer  militia  com- 
pany. The  Armory  was  constructed  in  1897  and  weekly  drills 
were  held  there.  When  war  with  Spain  was  declared  m  1  898, 
and  President  McKirJey  called  for  volunteer  troops,  Company 
G  responded,  and  evolved  as  a  unit  into  Company  G,  Thirty- 
fourth  Michigan  Volunteer  Infantry. 

The  Company  marched  away  to  the  war  under  the  following 
officers:  Robert  S.  Welch,  captain;  Henry  F.  Hughart,  first 
lieutenant;  Gilmore  G.Scranton,  second  lieutenant;  Wilfred  T. 
Raines,  first  sergeant;  Afford  H.  Colwell,  quartermaster  ser- 
geant; Edgar  C.  Lemon,  Edward  M.  Lacey,  Fred.  H.  Smith  and 
John  K.  Dawson,  sergeants;  Albert  H.  Passmore,  John  A. 
Gowan,  Wm.  A.  Goulding,  Robert  C.  Sweatt,  Leo  P.  Cook  and 
George  Stanley,  corporals;  Clement  C.  Wheeler  and  Eugene 
J.  O'Neill,  musicians;  Thomas  E.  Roberts,  wagoner,  and  Peter 
Murray,  artificer. 

Company  G  sailed  in  June,    1898,  from  Newport  News  for 

174 


Cuba,  and  was  in  service  in  the  field  until  Santiago  surrendered 
and  after.  Its  members  suffered  severely  with  typhoid  fever, 
malaria  and  yellow  fever,  and  several  of  them  died  of  the  ef- 
fects of  these  diseases  in  Cuba  and  after  their  return.  They 
were  given  a  great  home-coming  welcome,  but  the  rejoicing 
was  mingled  with  sorrow  over  the  ravages  of  disease  and  death. 
Af*er  peace  was  declared,  Henry  F.  Hughart  Camp  No.  34, 
Spanish-American  War  Veterans,  was  organized  here,  its  mem- 
bership being  composed  of  comrades  who  served  in  the  naval 
as  well  as  the  land  forces  of  that  war. 

At  the  close  of  the  century  the  tiny  village  of  Le  Saut  de 
Sainte  Marie  had  progressed  to  city  stature.  It  had  passed 
from  French  to  British  domination,  and  thence  to  the  freedom 
of  American  government.  The  descendants  of  the  ancient 
fighting  Chippewa,  once  all  powerful  here,  saw  the  seat  of  their 
dominion  transferred  into  a  community  eagerly  striving  to  ad- 
vance the  arts  of  peace.  Broad-visioned  and  history-making 
men  had  come  and  were  at  work,  and  with  them  came  the  assur- 
ance of  prosperity  and  the  realization  of  greater  things. 


17! 


"THE  SOO"— THE  TWENTIETH  CENTURY 

When  Mr.  Francis  H.  Clergue  first  came  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie 
he  was  about  thirty-five  years  old.  He  had  been  sent  as  an 
expert  engineer  by  a  syndicate  of  eastern  capitalists  to  examine 
and  report  upon  the  water-power  possibilities  of  St.  Mary's 
River.  Here  he  found  Lake  Superior,  the  globe's  greatest 
mill-pond,  a  narrow  outlet  with  a  fall  of  twenty  feet  or  so,  and 
raw  materials  abundant  in  quantity  and  variety. 

Upon  his  recommendation  a  company  was  formed  which 
obtained  from  the  Canadian  Government  a  grant  of  nearly  two 
million  acres  of  land  in  Ontario.  A  large  part  of  this  acreage 
was  covered  with  forests  of  pine,  spruce,  birch,  maple  and  oak. 
and  there  were  good  prospects  for  iron,  nickel,  copper  and  gold. 
It  was  the  largest  single  tract  of  spruce  timber  in  the  world. 

Gets  Control  of  Sault  Waterpower 

Mr.  Clergue  secured  control  of  the  Canadian  Sau-t  water- 
power,  then  dormant,  and  began  a  career  of  construction  well- 
nigh  unequalled  on  the  continent.  Besides  the  rapids  on  the 
Canadian  shore  a  pulp-mill  arose,  one  of  the  largest  in  the  world 
and  using  fourteen  thousand  horse-power.  Two  railroads  were 
built,  the  Algoma  Central,  extending  northward  from  Sault  Ste. 
Marie,  Ontario,  and  the  Manitoulin  &  North  Shore,  afterward 
the  Algoma  Eastern.  More  land  was  granted  the  Company, 
which  under  Mr.  Clergue' s  direction  uncovered  great  deposits 
of  iron  ore  in  the  Michipicoten  district;  mined  them,  drained  a 
lake  and  built  a  railroad  to  Michipicoten  Harbor;  constructed 
ore  docks  there  and  began  the  shipment  of  ore.  Blast  fur- 
naces followed  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Ontario,  and  in  logical  suc- 
cession machine  shops  and  foundries,  a  rail  mill  and  car  shops. 
Ships  were  brought  to  transport  the  Company's  ore  and  coal, 
docks  were  built  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and  a  limestone  quarry 
developed  in  Mackinac  County  for  fluxing  purposes.  The  first 
rails  made  in  Canada  from  Canadian  ore  were  produced.  A 
list  of  Mr.  Clergue's  constructive  activities  in  this  region  would 
fill  a  volume.  Twenty-five  million  dollars  were  invested  in 
the  system  created  on  both  sides  of  the  river  and  all  the  units 
of  that  city  dovetailed  as  it  were  into  each  other. 

Canal  Completed  in  1902. 

The  Michigan  Northern  water  power  canal  and  power  house 
were  completed  under  Mr.  Clergue's  direction  in  1902.  Fifty 
seven  thousand  horsepower  were  developed,  and  the  canal 
created  an  island  on  which  the  main  business  section  of  Sault 
Ste.  Marie  stands.  The  original  project  of  extending  the  canal 
to  a  point  below  the  little  rapids  was  abandoned,  and  its  course 

176 


OF  THE 


was  shortened  a  mile  or  more  without  loss  of  efficientcy.  Own- 
ership passed  into  other  hands,  and  the  power  developed  is 
now  used  largely  in  the  manufacture  of  calcium  carbide  by  the 
Union  Carbide  Company.  Its  blue  and  gray  drums  are  familiar 
throughout  the  earth,  and  its  products  are  used  by  practically 
every  railroad  in  the  country  for  one  or  more  purposes,  by  oxy- 
acetylene  welders  and  foundry  men,  miners,  fire  departments, 
physicians  and  lighthouse  tenders.  Union  Carbide  affords  a 
favorite  means  of  lighting  rural  and  suburban  homes,  schools, 
churches  and  stores.  It  is  uniquely  used  in  coast  guard  life- 
saving  equipment.  Projectiles  charged  with  Union  Carbide 
are  so  equipped  that  gas  forms  and  ignites  when  they  strike  the 
water.  A  brilliant  and  steady  light  ensues  whereby  rescues 
can  be  effected  more  easily  and  quickly  than  would  otherwise 
be  possible. 

The  power-house  of  the  Michigan  Northern  Power  Company 
is  one  of  the  most  massive  buildings  in  the  United  States,  being 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long,  and  constructed  of  stone  blasted 
out  in  building  the  canal.  On  the  occasion  of  its  opening  in 
1902,  a  banquet  was  spread  in  the  enormous  building  and  the 
city  gave  itself  over  to  a  holiday,  while  congratulations  were 
showered  upon  Mr.  Clergue. 

Clergue  Welcomed  Back 

Time  has  vindicated  the  visions  of  Francis  Clergue,  though 
the  industries  he  founded  have  passed  from  his  control.  The 
financial  crisis  of  1893  was  the  principal  factor  in  robbing  him 
of  complete  victory;  nevertheless  he  has  lived  to  see  the  chil- 
dren of  his  brain  grow  to  maturity  and  prosperity.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1923  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Ontario,  enjoyed  a  Community 
Week,  when  Mr.  Clergue  was  the  city's  guest  of  honor.  No 
man  ever  received  a  more  hearty  or  unanimous  welcome  than 
did  he,  on  the  occasion  of  his  return  after  many  years  to  the 
scenes  of  his  reverses  and  his  conquests. 

The  year  1905  marked  the  completion  of  half  a  century 
of  service  of  the  ship  canal  around  St.  Mary's  Falls.  The  canal 
was  a  prime  factor  in  the  development  of  the  greatest  marine 
tonnage  concentration  in  the  world.  It  had  been  of  inestimable 
advantage  to  the  country.  It  had  enabled  the  iron  and  steel 
industry  of  the  states  bordering  on  the  Great  Lakes  to  attain 
the  front  rank  they  now  occupy.  It  had  afforded  the  most 
ample  and  economical  outlet  for  the  vast  products  of  the  trans- 
Mississippi  grain  regions.  It  had  made  possible  the  distribu- 
tion of  coal  and  package  freight  at  rates  undreamed  of  by  the 
railroads.  In  immediate  results  it  has  been  the  best  investment 
ever  made  by  our  Government. 

The  occasion  could  not  be  permitted  to  pass  without  a  fit- 
ting celebration.  The  initiative  was  taken  by  Mr.  Peter  White 
of  Marquette,  one  of  the  '49ers  in  the  north  country,  and  Mr. 

a77 


Charles  Harvey,  engineer  in  charge  of  construction  of  the  first 
canal  and  locks.  Joint  action  was  taken  by  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  and  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Michigan, 
whereby  the  National  Government  appropriated  $10,000.00 
and  the  State  $15,000.00  to  defray  the  cost  of  a  semi-centen- 
nial celebration. 

Event  Is  Most  Notable 

The  event  was  one  of  the  most  notable  in  the  history  of  the 
Great  Lakes  region.  The  Governor  of  Michigan  appointed  a 
Semi-Centennial  Celebration  Commission,  consisting  of  Mr. 
Peter  White,  Mr.  Charles  Moore  of  Detroit,  and  Mr.  Horace  M. 
Oren  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  to  be  in  full  charge  of  all  proceedings. 
The  Commission  nominated  Mr.  Charles  T.  Harvey  as  chief 
marshal  of  the  celebration,  and  arranged  a  program  covering 
August  2nd  and  3rd,  1905,  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  The  States  of 
New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin  and 
Minnesota  were  invited  to  participate,  as  well  as  the  Vice-Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States  and  representatives  of  the  Dominion 
of  Canada. 

The  weather  was  perfect  and  the  schedule  for  two  days  was 
carried  out  without  a  mishap  or  variation.  Local  arrangements 
were  happily  administered  by  a  number  of  committees  under 
the  general  chairmanship  of  Mr.  Otto  Fowle,  while  40,000  vis- 
itors enjoyed  the  city's  hospitality.  A  naval  parade  ascended 
the  river  through  the  Poe  lock  and  descended  through  the  Can- 
adian lock,  and  Vice-President  Fairbanks,  Governor  Warner 
and  other  notables  were  greeted  with  uproarious  cheering 
by  the  crowds  on  both  sides  of  the  river. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  first  day  of  the  celebration  Mr.  Peter 
White  and  Mr.  Charles  T.  Harvey,  from  the  speakers'  stand  in 
Brady  Field,  related  many  thrilling  experiences  of  former  days. 
Recalling  ancient  times,  a  group  of  half  a  hundred  Chippewa 
Indians  camped  beside  the  reviewing  stand.  Many  of  their 
fathers  had  lived  as  warriors  in  the  old  Indian  village  near  the 
site  of  their  tepees.  The  sons  mingled  with  the  white  throngs 
around  them,  recalling  without  resentment  the  old  days  when 
navigation  on  St.  Mary's  was  a  matter  of  canoes,  and  the  in- 
cidents which  presaged  the  decline  of  their  race. 

Many  thousands  of  spectators  viewed  the  parade  in  the 
afternoon  of  August  2nd.  Mr.  Charles  T.  Harvey,  Chief 
Marshal,  led  the  marchers,  and  the  participants  included  bat- 
talions from  the  First  Regiment,  United  States  Infantry,  under 
Major  Robert  N.  Getty;  Third  Infantry,  Michigan  National 
Guard,  under  Colonel  Robert  J.  Bates;  the  crew  of  U.  S.  S. 
Wolverine,  Commander  H.  Morrell;  and  a  battalion  from  the 
Michigan  State  Naval  Brigade,  under  Commander  Frederick  D. 
Standish.  Government  officials  and  other  distinguished  guests, 
American  and  Canadian,  occupied  many  carriages  in  the  parade, 

178 


which  passed  in  review  before  the  Vice-President  and  the  Gov- 
ernor in  Brady  Field. 

In  the  evening  all  the  vessels  in  the  river  were  illuminated, 
and  the  twin  cities  vied  with  each  other  in  gorgeous  displays 
of  fireworks. 

Great  Array  of  Talent 

The  third  day  of  August  the  representatives  of  the  National 
Government,  the  State,  the  marine  interests  and  the  Dominion 
of  Canada  spoke  from  the  rostrum.  Hon.  Chase  S.  Osborn 
delivered  in  happy  vein  the  formal  address  of  welcome  in  the 
morning,  and  addresses  followed  by  the  Vice-President,  Mr. 
White,  Hon.  Rodolphe  Lemieux,  Solicitor-General  of  Canada, 
Congressman  Theodore  Burton,  Chairman  of  the  Rivers  and 
Harbors  Committee,  President  William  Livingstone  of  the  Lake 
Carriers'  Association,  United  States  Senator  Burrows,  Senator 
Dandurand,  Speaker  of  the  Canadian  Senate,  and  Mr.  Francis 
J.  Clergue.  No  such  aggregation  of  talent  and  celebrity  had 
ever  graced  the  north  country,  nor  hac  any  occasion  ever  been 
more  felicitous. 

"The  celebration  of  1905,"  says  Mr.  J.  P.  Nimmo,  "was  con- 
ceived and  consummated  as  an  expression  of  the  scientific  and 
marine  achievements  of  half  a  century.  Popular  rejoicing  and 
profitable  reflection  were  its  keynotes;  education  and  inspira- 
tion were  its  fruits.  The  people  of  Canada  and  the  United 
States  rejoiced  over  a  lasting  conquest;  in  friendly  rivalry  they 
bodied  forth  their  national  sentiments  and  their  international 
unity.  In  reflection  on  past  events  they  were  reminded  that 
there  is  still  much  to  do,  that  progress  has  not  done  its  last 
work.  The  passing  generation  let  the  bright  light  in  on  cloudy 
memories  and  saw  the  Indian  and  the  canoe  and  the  wooden 
craft  dropping  out  of  their  lives.  They  saw  steel  leviathans 
growing  and  multiplying,  and  told  their  sons  of  what  had  hap- 
pened in  their  day.  They  pointed  to  the  military  and  naval 
power  of  their  continent  and  told  their  sons  of  the  sudden 
strength  of  the  white  man  and  the  white  man's  government, 
and  that  the  wilderness  and  the  raging  river  had  become  an 
everlasting  heritage.  Charles  Moore,  in  "The  Northwest  Under 
Three  Flags,"  says:  'The  capitalists  are  realizing  the  dreams 
of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries.  The  trade  with 
Cathway  that  eluded  Nicolet  is  now  maintained  by  the  daily 
shipments  of  wood  pulp  to  Japan;  the  copper  that  Joliet  was 
unable  to  discover  has  at  last  been  found,  and  with  it  nickel  and 
iron;  Radisson's  overland  path  to  Hudson  Bay  is  being  traversed 
by  the  Algoma  Central  Railroad,  now  building;  and  the  waters 
of  St.  Mary's  River  are  being  harnessed  to  build  up  a  great 
manufacturing  center.  Meanwhile  the  largest  tonnage  known  to 
any  waterway  in  the  world  annually  passes  to  and  from  Lakes 
Superior  and  Huron'." 

179 


A  permanent  memorial  of  Connecticut  granite,  forty-four 
feet  in  height,  was  erected  at  the  foot  of  Bingham  avenue  in 
Sault  Ste.  Marie  by  the  United  States,  the  State  of  Michigan, 
and  the  mining  and  transportation  interests  of  the  Great  Lakes, 
commemorating  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  opening  of  St. 
Mary's  Falls  Canal  and  the  celebration  of  1905.  In  form  and 
material  the  monument  follows  the  most  enduring  of  Egyptian 
obelisks.  This  design  was  chosen  because  it  was  deemed  best 
suited  to  commemorate  works  of  engineering.  Bronze  tablets 
affixed  to  the  four  faces  of  the  shaft  bear  the  following  in- 
scriptions of  historic  interest: 

(North  Tablet) 

BESIDE  THESE  RAPIDS,  JUNE  14,  1671,  DAUMONT 
DE  ILUSSON,  NICOLAS  PERROT,  LOUIS  JOLIET  AND 
FATHERS  DABLON,  DRUILLETES,  ALLOUEZ  AND 
ANDRE  CLAIMED  POSSESSION  OF  ALL  THE  LANDS 
FROM  THE  SEAS  OF  THE  NORTH  AND  WEST  TO  THE 
SOUTH  SEAS,  FOR  LOUIS  XIV.  OF  FRANCE.  IN  1  763 
THE  LAKE  REGION  WAS  CEDED  TO  ENGLAND  AS  A 
PORTION  OF  CANADA,  AND  AT  THE  CLOSE  OF  THE 
REVOLUTION,  SAINT  MARYS  RIVER  BECAME  PART  OF 
THE  NATIONAL  BOUNDARIES.  IN  1797,  THE  NORTH- 
WEST FUR  COMPANY  BUILT  A  BATEAU  CANAL  AND 
LOCK  ON  THE  CANADIAN  BANK.  IN  1820,  LEWIS 
CASS,  GOVERNOR  OF  MICHIGAN  TERRITORY,  HERE 
ESTABLISHED  THE  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  UNITED 
STATES  FROM  THE  GREAT  LAKES  TO  THE  MISSIS- 
SIPPI RIVER. 

(East  Tablet) 

THE  XXXII.  CONGRESS  HAVING  MADE  A  GRANT 
OF  PUBLIC  LANDS  TO  AID  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  A 
SHIP  CANAL  AROUND  SAINT  MARYS  FALLS,  THE 
STATE  OF  MICHIGAN  CONTRACTED  WITH  JOSEPH  P. 
FAIRBANKS,  JOHN  W.  BROOKS,  ERASTUS  CORNING, 
AUGUST  BELMONT,  HENRY  DWIGHT,  JR.,  AND 
THOMAS  DWYER,  PRINCIPALS;  AND  FRANKLIN 
MOORE,  GEORGE  F.  PORTER,  JOHN  OWEN,  JAMES  F. 
JOY,  AND  HENRY  P.  BALDWIN,  SURETIES,  TO  BUILD 
A  CANAL  ACCORDING  TO  THE  PLANS  OF  CAPT. 
AUGUSTUS  CANFIELD,  U.  S.  A.  THE  WORK  OF  CON- 
STRUCTION WAS  ACCOMPLISHED  BY  CHARLES  T. 
HARVEY,  C.  E.,  WHO  OVERCAME  MANY  SERIOUS  OB- 
STACLES INCIDENT  TO  THE  REMOTE  SITUATION.  THE 
CANAL,  OPENED  JUNE  18,  1855,  WAS  OPERATED  BY 
THE  STATE  UNTIL  JUNE  9,  1881,  WHEN  IT  WAS  TRANS- 
FERRED TO  THE  UNITED  STATES  AND  MADE  FREE  TO 
ALL  VESSELS.    SUPERINTENDENTS  UNDER  THE  STATE : 

180 


JOHN  BURT,  ELISHA  CALKINS,  SAMUEL  P.  MEAD, 
GEORGE  W.  BROWN,  GUY  H.  CARLETON,  FRANK 
GORTON,  JOHN  SPALDING. 

(West  Tablet) 

IN  1856.CONGRESS  FIRST  MADE  APPROPRIATIONS 
TO  IMPROVE  SAINT  MARYS  RIVER  UNDER  THE  DIREC- 
TION OF  THE  CORPS  OF  ENGINEERS,  U.  S.  A.  CAPT. 
JOHN  NAVARRE  MACOMB  AND  CAPT.  AMIEL  WEEKS 
WHIPPLE  HAD  CHARGE  OF  THE  WORK  UNTIL  1861 ; 
AND  COL.  THOMAS  JEFFERSON  CRAM,  MAJ.  WALTER 
MACFARLANE  AND  MAJ.  ORLANDO  METCALFE  POE, 
FROM  1866  TO  1873.  THE  WEITZEL  LOCK  WAS 
BUILT  BETWEEN  1876  AND  1881  BY  MAJ.  GODFREY 
WEITZEL,  ASSISTED  BY  CAPT.  ALEXANDER  MACKEN- 
ZIE. MAJ.  FRANCIS  ULRIC  FARQUHAR  AND  CAPT. 
DAVID  WRIGHT  LOCKWOOD  WERE  IN  CHARGE, 
1882-3.  FROM  1883  TO  1896,  THE  CANAL  WAS  EN- 
LARGED AND  THE  POE  LOCK  BUILT  BY  COL.  POE, 
ON  THE  SITE  OF  THE  STATE  LOCKS.  FROM  1895  TO 
1905  THE  OFFICERS  IN  CHARGE  SUCCESSIVELY  WERE 
LIEUT.  JAMES  BATES  CAVANAUGH,  COL.  GARRETT  J. 
LYDECKER,  COL.  WILLIAM  H.  BIXBY,  MAJ.  WALTER 
LESLIE  FISK,  AND  COL.  CHARLES  E.  L.  B.  DAVIS, 
GENERAL  SUPERINTENDENTS  UNDER  THE  UNITED 
STATES:  ALFFRED  NOBLE,  EBEN  S.  WHEELER,  JOSEPH 
RIPLEY.  SUPERINTENDENTS:  JOHN  SPALDING,  WIL- 
LIAM CHANDLER,  MARTIN  LYNCH,  DONALD  M. 
MACKENZIE. 

(South  Tablet) 

THIS  MONUMENT,  ERECTED  BY  THE  UNITED 
STATES,  THE  STATE  OF  MICHIGAN,  AND  THE 
MINING  AND  TRANSPORTATION  INTERESTS  OF  THE 
GREAT  LAKES  COMMEMORATES  THE  FIFTIETH  ANNI- 
VERSARY OF  THE  OPENING  OF  SAINT  MARYS  FALLS 
CANAL,  CELEBRATED  AUGUST  2  AND  3,  1905; 
THEODORE  ROOSEVELT  BEING  PRESIDENT;  FRED  M. 
WARNER,  GOVERNOR.  CELEBRATION  COMMISSION- 
ERS: PETER  WHITE,  HORACE  MANN  OREN,  CHARLES 
MOORE.    CHIEF  MARSHAL:  CHARLES  T.  HARVEY. 

Chase  S.  Osborn 

Sault  Ste.  Marie  closed  the  first  decade  of  the  twentieth 
century  by  providing  Michigan  with  a  Governor,  the  first  from 
the  Upper  Peninsula  to  grace  that  illustrious  line. 

Bom  in  a  log  house  in  Huntington  County,  Indiana,  January 
22,    1860,  Chase  S.  Osborn  spent  his  boyhood  days  in  the  city 

181 


of  Lafayette.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  entered  Purdue  Uni- 
versity, then  just  opening.  Leaving  the  University  after  three 
years,  he  went  to  Chicago,  walking  most  of  the  way.  Without 
means  or  friends,  he  had  some  trying  experiences  in  the  big 
city  before  landing  a  job  with  the  Tribune  at  five  dollars  a 
week.  In  1879,  a  year  of  panicky  conditions  and  country-wide 
depression,  he  was  laid  off  with  many  other  employes  of  the 
paper. 

He  walked  the  ties  to  Hermansville,  and  found  employment 
for  a  time  with  a  construction  gang  of  the  Chicago  &  North- 
western Railway,  then  building  its  Menominee  Range  extension. 
Returning  to  Milwaukee,  he  got  a  job  soliciting  subscriptions  for 
The  Milwaukee  Signal,  the  city's  first  two-cent  paper.  Soon 
he  was  reporting  for  The  Evening  Wisconsin,  and  a  little  later 
he  was  offered  and  accepted  charge  of  The  Chicago  Tribune' s 
Milwaukee  Bureau. 

One  day  Hiram  D.  Fisher,  discoverer  of  the  Florence  Mine 
at  Florence,  Wisconsin,  wired  Colonel  J.  A.  Watrous  of  Mil- 
waukee, a  friend  of  Mr.  Osborn,  asking  him  to  send  up  a  young 
fellow  not  afraid  to  run  a  newspaper.  The  town  was  wild  and 
woolly,  and  dominated  by  a  gang  that  was  against  all  news- 
papers, especially  those  opposing  it  in  any  way.  The  owner 
and  editor  of  the  Florence  paper,  a  weekly,  had  been  made 
away  with  by  the  roughs. 

Two  hours  after  Colonel  Watrous  received  the  message,  Mr. 
Osborn  was  on  his  way  to  Florence.  The  night  he  arrived  the 
gang  shot  out  his  windows  and  shot  a  leg  off  one  of  the  job 
presses,  just  to  show  him  what  would  be  done  to  him  if  he 
wasn't  good.  The  threat  failed  to  scare  the  new  editor,  and 
he  fought  the  roughs  to  a  finish.  Four  years  later  when  he  sold 
The  Mining  News  and  returned  to  Milwaukee  his  adversaries 
were  dead  or  scattered,  the  abominable  stockades  were  burned 
or  abandoned,  and  Florence  was  a  fairly  decent  town  to  live  in. 

f  Came  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie 

The  Gogebic  range  was  booming,  and  Milwaukee  was  iron 
mad.  Mr.  Osborn,  with  Melvin  Hoyt  and  Alexander  Dingwall 
— afterward  associated  with  him  in  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  News — 
and  others,  started  a  trade  paper,  The  Miner  and  Manufacturer. 
He  had  been  deeply  interested  in  and  had  studied  carefully 
the  formations  of  the  Menominee  Range,  and  had  written  a 
good  deal  about  them.  A  syndicate  of  Milwaukee  and  Chicago 
men  asked  him  to  make  some  examinations  of  the  Echo  Lake 
region,  in  the  vicinity  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  Charmed  by  the 
beauty  of  the  little  town  and  its  environs,  he  made  it  his  home 
for  life. 

The  three  bought  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  News  frori  Mr.  C. 
H.  Chapman.  The  boom  of  '87  came  and  went,  and  Mr.  Os- 
born drew  lots  wiu  his  partners  to  determine  which  one  of  the 

182 


trio  would  stay  and  carry  the  burden  of  the  weekly  in  a  badly 
flattened  field.  Mr.  Osborn  was  the  unlucky  one,  as  it  seemed 
at  the  time;  in  reality  he  won  a  rich  reward. 

The  town  recovered,  and  before  long  the  weekly  became  a 
prosperous  daily,  the  first  to  be  established  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 
Its  owner  tought  for  a  better  and  cleaner  community.  He 
made  some  whole-souled  enemies  and  many  faithful  friends. 
Political  life  was  inevitable;  he  became  postmaster  of  Sault  Ste. 
Marie,  State  Game  Warden,  Railroad  Commissioner.  Associa- 
tion with  Governor  Pingree  plunged  him  deeper  into  politics 
than  ever.  He  was  one  of  six  Republican  candidates  to  suc- 
ceed Pingree.     Aaron  T.  Bliss  of  Saginaw  won. 

Meanwhile  Mr.  Osborn,  as  interested  in  iron  ore  a^  ever, 
was  prospecting  in  the  mountains  of  Canada,  and  visiting  when 
time  permitted  the  iron  regions  of  the  world.  Following  up 
reports  of  lean  iron  ore  in  the  Vermilion  River  district  north  of 
Sudbury,  he  located,  staked  and  purchased,  with  Chicago  men, 
the  mineral  lands  known  as  the  Moose  Mountain  properties, 
which  were  profitably  sold  shortly  after  to  McKenzie  and  Mann, 
Canadian  railway  magnates. 

Is  Elected  Governor 

In  1908,  Mr.  Osborn  succeeded  the  Hon.  Peter  White  as 
Regent  of  the  University  of  Michigan.  In  1  9  1  0  he  became  a 
candidate  for  governor  at  the  Republican  primaries,  defeating 
Patrick  H.  Kelley  and  Amos  Musselman.  In  the  election  he 
won  over  Lawton  T.  Hemans  by  a  plurality  of  43,000  votes. 

Two  years  followed  of  strenuous  fighting  for  what  the  Gov- 
ernor believed  to  be  right.  At  his  instigation  a  workmen's 
compensation  measure  was  introduced  and  passed.  He  saw  to 
it  that  a  bill  was  introduced  making  it  illegal  for  brewers  and 
distillers  to  own  or  encourage  saloons  in  Michigan.  The  bill 
became  a  law.  A  woman  suffrage  bill  carrying  the  Governor's 
hearty  endorsement  was  defeated.  Woman  suffrage  was  not 
adopted  by  the  State  until  1918,  two  years  after  state-wide 
prohibition  carried.     The  Governor  had  been  ahead  of  his  times. 

When  Chase  S.  Osborn  became  Governor  there  was  a  de- 
ficit of  about  one  million  dollars  in  the  state  treasury.  At  the 
conclusion  of  his  administration  the  State  was  out  of  debt  and 
the  treasury  held  a  surplus  exceeding  two  million  dollars.  He 
awakened  the  people  of  Michigan  to  a  finer  and  stronger  con- 
ception of  government.  The  ideals  he  inspired  and  exemplified 
have  created  in  many  ways  a  better  State.  Success  did  not 
spoil  him,  and  his  political  enemies  conceded  him  their  admir- 
ation when  they  denied  and  defeated  his  plans  for  the  better- 
ment of  Michigan. 

Returning  from  a  foreign  trip  with  Mrs.  Osborn  of  almost 
two  years,  Mr.  Osborn  was  importuned  by  friends  to  be  again  a 
candidate  for  the  governorship  nomination.     He  won  the  nom- 

183 


ination  but  was  defeated  for  election.  In  1 9 1 8  he  con- 
tested with  Henry  Ford  and  Truman  H.  Newberry  the  Republi- 
can primary  nomination  for  United  States  Senator  from  Michi- 
gan. Mr.  Newberry  won  the  nomination  and  the  election. 
While  they  are  both  sympathetic  and  kindly  men,  it  isn't  likely 
that  either  Mr.  Osborn  or  Mr.  Ford  shed  any  tears  over  what 
happened  to  Mr.  Newberry  afterward. 

Most  Widely  Traveled  Man 

A  Detroit  newspaper  calls  Mr.  Osborn  the  most  widely 
traveled  man  on  earth.  No  country  worth  visiting  has  been 
missed  by  him  or  Mrs.  Osborn,  and  they  are  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  many  lands.  The  story  of  his  life  is  told  in  his 
autobiography,  "The  Iron  Hunter,' '  written  as  autobiographies 
should  be  written, — plainly,  sincerely,  palliating  nothing,  ex- 
cusing nothing.  It  is  free  from  embroidery  and  puts  on  no  dog. 
("Putting  on  dog"  is  the  Saulteur  expression  for  snobbery; 
uppishness;  false  fronts;  trying  to  make  people  believe  you  are 
better  or  wiser  or  richer  or  holier  than  you  really  are  or  ever 
will  be.  The  Chippewa  Indians  originated  the  term,  and  the 
meaning  is  the  same  in  their  language). 

You  should  read  "The  Iron  Hunter,"  as  it  is  a  book  that 
will  class  with  the  autobiographies  of  Rousseau,  Cellini  and 
Trudeau.  If  you  have  a  young  man  in  the  family,  start  him  on 
"The  Iron  Hunter,"  and  watch  him  devour  it.  It  is  a  stirring 
tale  of  pioneering,  of  a  career  possible  only  in  a  new  and  free 
country  like  America.  It  has  all  the  freshness  and  the  vigor  of 
a  northern  spring  morning. 

"My  home  town,  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Michigan,"  says  Mr.  Os- 
born in  'The  Iron  Hunter,'  "has  always  shown  me  a  sympathy 
and  a  friendship  and  support  that  would  be  a  sufficient  reward 
for  any  man,  no  matter  if  his  deserts  were  easily  much  greater 
than  mine;  and  an  inspiration  as  well.  In  return  for  its  atti- 
tude, I  loved  the  town  and  all  its  people." 

Osborns  Gifts  to  Sault  Ste.  Marie 

Again  and  again  Sault  Ste.  Marie  has  had  concrete  evidence 
of  Mr.  Osborn' s  good-will.  The  stone  torii  and  the  Shinto 
memorial  lanterns  in  Canal  Park;  the  bronze  Lupa  di  Roma, 
the  she-wolf  mothering  Romulus  and  Remus;  the  stone  lions 
at  the  Carnegie  Library;  the  chimes  of  eleven  bells  in  St.  James 
Church  tower;  the  multitude  of  elms  given  for  the  cure  of  a 
former  treeless  city  and  reminiscent  of  ancient  times;  the  curios 
in  the  Melville  Museum  at  the  Senior  High  School;  the  paint- 
ings by  foremost  artists,  including  Moran's  famous  "Grand 
Canyon"  in  the  music  room  at  Senior  High;  the  revolving 
illuminated  cross  which  crowns  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
on  Spruce  Street;  the  grounds  at  Douglas  Street  and  Portage 

184 


Avenue;   these  are  some  of  the  gitfs  of  Mr.   Osborn  to  Sault 
Ste.  Marie  and  to  all  its  people. 

While  history  was  making  in  the  little  city  besides  the 
rapids,  an  ever  increasing  ship  traffic  passed  around  them.  Im- 
perious need  developed  for  longer,  wider  and  deeper  steamers. 
The  fast  expanding  fields  and  mines  of  the  north  and  west 
found  two  American  locks  and  one  Canadian  lock  in  St.  Mary's 
River  utterly  inadequate  to  accommodate  their  bounty  in  its 
passage  to  the  markets  of  the  world. 

Four  American  Locks 

St.  Mary's  Falls  Canal  is  one  and  three-fifths  miles  in  length 
and  1 60  feet  wide.  It  feeds  four  locks,  two  of  which  have 
been  described.  The  third  lock,  1,3^0  feet  long,  80  feet  wide, 
and  having  24  Yl  ^eet  °f  water  upon  its  miter  sills  at  low  water, 
was  built  by  the  Government  in  the  years  1908  to  1914,  and 
opened  to  traffic  October  2  1  of  the  latter  year.  The  fourth 
lock,  of  the  same  dimensions  as  the  third,  was  built  by  the 
Government  in  the  years  1913  to  1919,  and  opened  to  traffic 
September   18,    1919. 

Since  1 892  the  canal  leading  to  the  Weitzel  and  the  Poe 
locks  has  been  deepened  in  its  upper  reaches  to  24  feet.  The 
new  canal  leading  to  the  third  and  fourth  locks  has  a  least 
depth  of  24  feet. 

The  canal  also  practically  includes  those  parts  of  the  channel 
through  St.  Mary's  River  which  have  been  improved  through 
shoals  of  sand,  clay  boulders,  standstone,  and  limestone  rock. 
The  United  States  Government  made  the  first  appropriation  for 
improving  the  river  channels  in  1856.  Work  on  their  better- 
ment has  been  almost  continuous,  so  that  the  dredged  areas 
now  total  45  miles  in  length  with  least  width  of  300  feet,  in- 
creasing at  angles  and  at  other  critical  places  up  to  1,000  feet. 
In  1903  excavation  of  the  Middle  and  West  Neebish  channels 
was  begun  for  21  feet  at  lowest  stage  of  water.  Th-  West 
Neebish  channel  was  opened  to  commerce  in  1908  and  the 
deepening  of  the  Middle  Neebish  channel  was  completed  in 
1912.  Downbound  traffic  uses  the  West  Neebish  channel  and 
upbound  traffic  the  Middle  Neebish  route.  The  cost  of  the 
third  and  fourth  locks  and  their  approaches  was  $7,500,000. 
and  the  total  cost  of  the  improvements  in  St.  Mary's  River,  in- 
cluding all  locks,  canals  and  betterments  to  channels,  is  ap- 
proximately $31,000,000. 

Hydraulic  power  is  used  for  operating  the  Weitzel  and  Poe 
locks.  Electricity  generated  by  water  power  is  used  for  oper- 
ating the  third  and  fourth  locks  on  the  American  side  and  the 
Canadian  lock.  Three  watches  of  eight  hours  each  operate 
the  American  locks,  and  the  force  engaged  in  passing  boats 
through  the  American  locks  aggregates  120. 

185 


Some  Traffic  Figures 

Fifty-seven  thousand  passengers  and  66,000,000  tons  of 
freight  passed  through  the  American  and  Canadian  canals 
around  St.  Mary's  Rapids  in  1922.  The  freight  was  valued  at 
one  billion  dollars,  and  in  its  transportation  12,000  lockages 
were  made  in  252  days.  Traffic  was  heaviest  in  October,  fol- 
lowed by  September,  August,  July,  November,  June,  May,  De- 
cember and  April,  in  order.  American  vessels  carried  92  per 
cent  of  the  freight,  Canadian  vessels  61  per  cent  of  the  pas- 
sengers. 

Approximately  200,000,000  feet  of  lumber  found  its  way 
to  market  here  in  1922,  and  10,000,000  barrels  of  flour; 
400,000,000  bushels  of  grain  (three-fourths  of  it  wheat),  and 
42,000,000  tons  of  iron  ore  passed  down  to  the  bakeries  and 
the  steel  mills  of  the  world;  60,000  tons  of  refined  Michigan 
copper  were  locked  through,  and  1,000,000  tons  of  package 
freight;  200,000  tons  of  oil  and  10,000,000  tons  of  soft  and 
hard  coal  passed  up.  The  total  tonnage  is  approximately  that 
of  the  Detroit  River,  and  it  exceeds  the  totals  of  the  St.  Clair 
Flats  Canal.  A  great  deal  of  the  downbound  freight  traversing 
St.  Mary's  River  goes  to  lLake  Michigan  and  Georgian  Bay 
ports. 

The  transportation  charges  on  freight  passing  the  Soo 
canals  in  1922  were  $64,000,000.  The  average  distance  this 
freight  was  carried  by  boat  was  81  0  miles,  the  average  cost  per 
ton  for  freight  transportation  was  ninety-seven  cents,  and  the 
average  cost  per  mile  per  ton  was  one  and  two-tenths  mills. 
It  is  an  efficiency  record  unequalled  in  all  the  rest  of  the  world. 

Water  Rates  Cheaper. 

Freight  rates  in  1922  for  water  transportation  to  and  from 
Lake  Superior  via  St.  Mary's  Falls  Canal  averaged  forty-five 
cents  per  ton  for  coal;  three  and  eight-tenths  cents  per  bushel 
for  grain,  and  eighty-three  cents  per  ton  for  iron  ore.  Railroad 
freight  rates  are  gigantic  in  comparison  with  this  showing.  It 
was  made  possible  by  these  canals,  and  so  great  is  their  volume 
that  it  costs  less  than  half  a  cent  to  transport  a  ton  of  freight 
through  them. 

The  vision  has  come  to  thousands  of  practical  level-headed 
men — and  it  will  not  down — of  the  linking  of  the  Great  Lakes 
in  the  heart  of  the  continent,  to  the  sea.  Nothing  can  long  delay 
the  coming  of  The-Great-Lakes-to-the-Sea  Waterway,  for  econ- 
omic forces  now  at  work  make  it  inevitable.  To  think  of 
Chicago  and  Duluth,  Port  Arthur  and  Milwaukee,  Detroit,  To- 
ronto, Toledo  and  Sault  Ste.  Marie  as  deep  seaports  is  not  fan- 
tastic; such  imagining  is  based  on  common  sense.  No  one 
has  better  stated  the  case  for  a  deep  waterway  than  Mr.  W.  S. 
Edward,  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  whose  address  before  the  Toronto 

186 


convention  of  the  National  Waterways  Association  of  Canada, 
in  March,  1921,  has  been  printed  and  extensively  circulated  by 
that  body. 

Some  Comparative  Figures 

"Traffic  through  the  Suez  Canal  in  1913,  the  latest  year 
for  which  we  could  get  statistics,''  says  Mr.  Edward,  "was  20,- 
000,000  tons.  We  have  the  1916  report  for  the  Panama  Canal, 
which  was  built  at  a  cost  of  over  $400,000,000.00,  showing 
ship  passages  for  the  year  of  1,253  and  a  total  tonnage  of 
9,400,000. 

"Compare  this  with  the  1916  report  for  St.  Mary's  Falls 
Canal,  showing  92,000,000  tons  traffic.  Panama  passages  of 
1,253  are  equal  to  about  twelve  days  volume  through  St.  Mary's 
where  ship  passages  average  over  1  00  many  days  at  a  time.  The 
barriers  now  separating  the  farms  and  cities  of  the  Middle  West 
from  the  ocean  can  be  overcome  by  channels  not  so  long  nor 
as  difficult  to  navigate  as  the  Panama  Canal,  the  Kiel  Canal,  or 
the  Suez  Canal,  and  would  cost  but  a  fraction  of  their  expense 
of  construction. 

"The  time  will  come  when  ocean  going  boats  will  carry 
freight  and  passengers  to  Chicago  from  foreign  ports.  Chicago 
is  beginning  an  expenditure  of  $100,000,000.00  on  the  im- 
provement of  her  dock  facilities  and  the  building  of  an  immense 
outer  harbor  to  accommodate  this  traffic  when  it  comes.  The 
saving  in  freight  alone  will  more  than  half  pay  for  these  im- 
provements, and  the  water  power  development  and  the  com- 
mercial growth  of  the  country  incidental  thereto  will,  with  this 
saving  in  freight,  more  than  pay  for  the  entire  project  every 
year. 

"Let  me  cite  an  instance  coming  under  my  observation 
during  the  war  as  to  the  advantage  of  deepening  waterways.  A 
great  deal  of  lake  shipping  was  being  taken  for  ocean  service, 
leaving  our  carrying  bottoms  rather  short  for  lake  commerce. 
Mr.  L.  C.  Sabin,  government  engineer  in  this  district  during  the 
war,  suggested  that  if  six  inches  more  water  could  be  obtained 
over  Vidal  Shoal  it  would  help  the  situation  materially.  I  was 
consulted  concerning  the  probable  costs  of  getting  this  extra  six 
inches  draft.  Figuring  on  twenty  boats  per  day  using  this 
extra  draft  through  the  port  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  we  estimated 
that  about  1  0,000  tons  freight  additional  could  be  handled  daily. 
This  meant  $10,000.00  additional  daily  revenues  to  the  car- 
riers, at  the  same  carrying  charges  and  practically  the  same 
cost  to  the  ship  owners. 

Paid  for  in  Thirteen  Days 

"An  emergency  appropriation  was  secured  for  the  work, 
which  was  completed  in  four  months  at  a  cost  of  $125,000.00. 
This  was  pai  1   for  in  additional  revenue  to  the  commerce   of 

187 


the  lakes  in  thirteen  days'  time.  It  is  a  permanent  improve- 
ment as  well,  which  will  enable  boats  for  all  time  to  carry  addi- 
tional tonnage. 

"The  waterway  will  make  possible  the  development  of  two 
million  horsepower  for  manufacturing  purposes  in  New  York 
State.  The  same  is  true  of  the  Canadian  side.  The  manu- 
facturing industries  of  Ontario  and  Quebec  would  be  augmented 
tremendously. 

Water  power  development  supplies  power  at  $20  to  $25 
per  horsepower.  Power  developed  by  steam  costs  $100  or 
over.  The  saving  will  amount  to  $300,000,000  per  year,  ac- 
cruing equally  to  Canada  and  the  United  States.  With  the 
completion  of  the  Welland  Canal  there  remain  compartively 
few  miles  to  be  improved  in  the  St.  Lawrence  River.  Neither 
the  United  States  nor  Canada  can  afford  to  delay  this  gigantic 
development.  The  benefits  to  both  countries  will  be  enormous, 
through  the  industrial  expansion  and  increase  in  national  wealth 
which  such  development  will  make  possible.  Let  us  remove 
the  barriers  and  open  the  way  to  the  Great  American  Mediter- 
ranean." 

Millions  Now  Living  Will  See  It. 

Already  a  few  smaller  ships  have  found  their  way  to  and 
from  Chicago,  the  head  of  the  lakes,  and  old  world  ports. 
Even  as  the  first  tiny  locks  presaged  the  colossal  lake  com- 
merce of  today,  so  do  these  beginnings  of  lake  and  ocean 
traffic  foreshadow  the  tomorrow  when  great  ocean  liners  shall 
lock  through  and  dock  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  Visions  firmly  held 
tend  to  materialize,  when  they  are  in  line  with  the  trend  of 
things.  This  is  a  little  known  but  long  proven  pschycological 
law.  The  ideals  of  Mr.  Chas.  P.  Craig,  Mr.  W.  S.  Edward, 
our  National  Waterways  Associations  and  their  supporters  are 
in  accord  with  the  basic  trend  of  things,  and  nothing  short  of 
an  earthquake  or  another  war  can  long  delay  their  fruition.  It 
is  a  reasonable  as  well  as  a  magnificent  conception,  this  Great 
Lakes-To-The-Sea  Waterway.  Time  must  be  a  factor  in  the 
evolution  of  a  plan  so  vast;  but  millions  now  living  undoubted- 
ly will  see  its  completion  and  enjoy  its  benefits. 

The  Soo  and  Chippewa  in  the  World  War. 

Long  before  the  United  States  entered  the  World  War, 
Sault  Ste.  Marie  and  Chippewa  County  men  were  enlisting  in  the 
Canadian  forces.  From  fifty  to  one  hundred  of  our  boys  fought 
under  foreign  flags  against  the  common  foe.  1,300  soldiers  en- 
listed in  the  United  States  forces  during  the  period  of  our  par- 
ticipation, most  of  them  finding  their  way  into  the  32nd  Divi- 
sion, and  a  very  large  number  of  the  men  from  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  and  Chippewa  fought  in  the  125th  and  337th  U.  S. 
Infantry. 

188 


Between  ninety  and  one  hundred  local  men  enlisted  during 
the  period  of  the  war  in  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  recruiting  offices 
of  the  Naval  Reserve,  and  saw  service  in  the  U.  S.  Navy. 

Enemies  Once,  Comrades  Now. 

Records  compiled  during  the  war  have  been  forwarded  to 
Washington,  and  it  is  impossible  at  this  time  to  set  down  de- 
tailed figures  of  enlistments  and  casualties  here.  About  150 
Chippewa  County  soldiers  and  sailors  died  in  the  service.  The 
descendants  of  the  Indians,  the  French,  the  British  and  the 
Americans  who  once  fought  for  supremacy  here,  laid  down  their 
lives  as  comrades  on  the  fields  of  France.  Some  of  our  men 
fought  with  American  units  in  Northern  Russia,  and  one  at 
least  died  there. 

The  Chippewa  County  Red  Cross  and  other  war  agencies 
functioned  finely  when  the  need  arose.  A  sufficient  comple- 
ment of  troops  remained  at  Fort  Brady  to  guard  the  ship  canal 
and  the  locks  with  the  most  scrupulous  vigilance.  The  canal 
area  was  surrounded  with  barbed  wire  and  soldiery,  guard- 
houses were  erected,  and  rapid  fire  guns  mounted  at  con- 
venient points  around  the  locks.  The  War  Department  took 
no  chances  with  this  aorta  of  the  continent,  while  a  record- 
breakmg  commerce  pulsed  through  it  daily. 

A  Royal  Welcome  Home. 

When  the  boys  came  home  they  received  a  joyful  and  an 
unforgettable  welcome.  A  formal  celebration  in  honor  of  their 
return  was  linked  with  an  old-fashioned  patriotic  Fourth  of 
July  ovation,  and  the  day  will  linger  long  in  the  memories  of 
these  who  participated. 

American  Legion  posts  were  organized  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
Brimley,  and  Rudyard.  The  Sault  Ste.  Marie  post  is  the  most 
active  of  these,  and  it  has  been  productive  of  much  benefit 
and  good  comradeship  to  a  loyal  and  enthusiastic  membership. 
Its  present  officers  are:  Captain  J.  F.  Young,  Commander;  Jay 
Gerrie,   Finance  Officer;  Chas,   McEvoy,   Adjutant. 

Men  in  Government  service  have  taken  a  foremost  part  in 
the  political,  social  and  economic  life  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie  since 
the  beginning  of  the  last  century.  It  is  probable  that  Washing- 
ton is  the  only  city  in  the  United  States  which  contains  a  greater 
proportion  of  the  republic's  officials  and  employes. 

Modern  Fort  Brady 

Fort  Brady,  beautifully  situated  on  a  hill  overlooking  the 
city  and  the  river,  is  a  United  States  Army  post  under  the  De- 
partment of  War.  Its  present  commander  is  Captain  Clinton 
Rush,  and  other  commissioned  officers  are  as  follows: 

Captains:     Barrett  DeT.   Lambert,  Julian  V.  Link,  Charles 

£L89 


J.  Isley.  First  lieutenants:  Charles  D.  Simmonds,  Frank  B. 
Lindley,  Zane  I.  Adair.  Second  lieutenants:  James  R.  Hamil- 
ton, James  D.  O'Connell,  Damond  Gunn,  E.  D.  Post.  The 
enlisted  men  number  300  or  more. 

The  great  commercial  importance  of  the  locality  was  fully 
recognized  by  the  War  Department  in  the  late  struggle  with 
Germany.  The  post  was  fully  manned  during  the  war  and  the 
locks  were  guarded  summer  and  winter  by  United  States 
soldiers. 

The  U.  S.  Coast  Guard 

The  U.  S.  Coast  Guard,  formerly  known  as  the  Revenue 
Cutter  Service,  is  an  arm  of  the  Treasury  Department,  function- 
ing under  the  Navy  Department  in  time  of  war.  Captain  J.  M. 
Moore  is  division  commander  and  captain  of  the  port  of  Sault 
Ste.  Marie,  and  Lieutenant  Commander  C.  A.  Wheeler  is  division 
engineer.  A  force  of  fifty-seven  enlisted  men  patrols  St.  Mary's 
River  during  the  season  of  navigation,  and  maintains  continu- 
ous watch  at  six  lookout  stations.  These  stations  are  connected 
with  each  other  and  with  the  commander's  office  here  by  pri- 
vate telephone  lines.  The  force  was  greatly  augmented  during 
the  war,  and  it  worked  in  co-operation  with  the  War  Depart- 
ment in  closely  guarding  the  St.  Mary's  waterway  from  possible 
obstruction  by  enemy  sympathizers. 

Big  Force  on  the  Locks 

Over  one  hundred  Government  officers  and  men,  operating 
under  the  United  States  War  Department,  are  employed  at  St. 
Mary's  Falls  Canal  and  the  locks.  The  officers  are  General 
Superintendent  L.  C.  Sabin,  Assistant  Superintendent  Isaac  De 
Young.  The  superintendent  in  charge  of  traffic  is  Frank  T. 
McArthur,  his  assistants  are  Patrick  Tracy,  Charles  Hursley 
and  John  Atkins.  During  the  winter  months  the  force  is 
lessened  somewhat,  but  a  great  amount  of  continuous  upkeep 
and  repair  work  is  necessary. 

The  Immigration  Service 

Inspector  R.  H.  Brondyke  and  his  men  in  the  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  Immigration  Division  are  a  part  of  the  United  Slates 
Department  of  Labor.  One  of  their  duties  is  the  turning  back 
of  unaccredited  or  undesirable  aliens.  Sault  Ste.  Marie  is  the 
only  point  of  easy  ingress  from  Canada  in  hundreds  of  miles 
of  frontier,  and  boat  and  rail  immigration  here  is  heavy. 

U.  S.  Customs  Service 

Deputy  Collector  of  Customs  Robert  H.  Taylor  and  his 
force  are  part  of  the  U.  S.  Treasury  Department  personnel. 
Imports  and  exports  of  all  merchandise  through  the  Sault  Ste. 

190 


Marie  gateway  are  recorded  by  this  office,  and  duties  aggre- 
gating huge  sums  are  collected.  Pulpwood  for  paper  manu- 
facture is  one  of  the  heaviest  articles  of  import  here,  and  pack- 
ing-house products  from  the  Twin  Cities,  destined  for  trans- 
Atlantic  ports,  are  a  considerable  item  of  export. 

The  Hydrographic  Office 

The  United  States  Hydrographic  Office,  under  Lieutenant 
Commander  B.  K.  Johnson,  is  that  branch  of  the  Navy  Depart- 
ment which  receives  and  disseminates  hydrographic  information 
for  mariners  and  others.  It  is  the  important  department  of 
maps,  charts,  soundings,  and  surveys  without  which  navigation 
would  be  impossible. 

The  Weather  Bureau 

The  United  States  Weather  Bureau  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie  is  in 
charge  of  Observer  Alexander  G.  Burns,  and  it  is  a  branch  of 
the  Department  of  Agriculture.  The  Bureau  building  stands 
beside  the  ship  canal  through  which  all  ships  taking  the  Amer- 
ican side  must  pass,  and  notice  of  impending  storms  as  well 
as  their  direction  is  imparted  to  mariners  by  means  of  flag  sig- 
nals and  bulletins.  The  Bureau  is  also  very  useful  in  the  win- 
ter season  to  the  railroads  and  to  handlers  of  perishable  mer- 
chandise, in  giving  advance  notice  of  storms  and  cold  waves. 

The  Internal  Revenue  Department,  4th  District,  State  of 
Michigan,  maintains  a  Soo  office  in  the  federal  building  in 
charge  of  Mr.  Theodore  B.  McKinney. 

The  Postoffice 

Last,  but  really  first  in  point  of  daily  contact,  in  the  list  of 
Uncle  Sam's  beneficent  activities  in  this  vicinity,  is  the  Sault  Ste. 
Marie  postoffice,  under  Postmaster  Wm.  M.  Snell  and  Assistant 
Postmaster  John  A.  Graham.  About  thirty  people  are  em- 
ployed and  the  average  daily  turnover  is  30,000  pieces  of  mail. 
This  average  is  greatly  exceeded  in  the  beautiful  days  of  sum- 
mer, when  throngs  of  tourists  migrate  hither  to  escape  the  heat 
of  other  regions,  and  to  enjoy  a  holiday  amid  cool  and  lovely 
surroundings. 

What  Visitors  See  Here 

What  has  the  Sault  to  offer  the  stranger,  the  sight-seer,  the 
tourist? 

The  answer  is:  more,  probably,  than  any  other  community 
of  its  size  in  the  world. 

To  enumerate  just  a  few  elements  of  interest: 

Fort  Brady,  a  city  in  itself,  situated  on  a  plateau  above  St. 
Mary's  River  about  one-half  mile  south  of  the  ship  canal  and 
the  locks.  The  modern  brick  buildings  of  the  fort  were  con- 
structed on  this  plateau  at  a  cost  of  nearly  half  a  million  dol- 

191 


lars.  Military  men  consider  Fort  Brady  one  of  the  country's 
best  posts.  While  it  is  in  the  city  limits,  it  is  practically  inde- 
pendent of  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

A  City  Within  a  City 

Captain  Clinton  Rush,  of  the  Second  United  States  Infantry, 
his  officers  and  his  300  or  more  troops  have,  besides  their  com- 
modious and  spotless  quarters,  their  own  schools,  theatre,  post- 
office,  libraries,  clubs,  barber  shops,  newspaper,  tailor  shops, 
gymnasium,  commissary,  bakery,  parade  ground,  recreation 
field,  skating  rink,  hospital,  and  recreation  rooms.  Uncle  Sam 
13  lavish  with  conveniences  for  his  soldiers  and  he  provides 
them  with  more  than  homelike  comforts. 

The  Tonic  Climate 

The  health  restoring  qualities  of  the  climate,  the  air  and  the 
water  have  been  proven  many  times  at  this  post.  Troops  ar- 
riving from  service  in  Cuba,  the  Philippines,  and  other  semi- 
tropical,  malarial,  and  enervating  districts,  have  been  restored 
in  a  marvelously  short  time  to  health  and  vigor. 

A  Crowning  Attraction 

St.  Mary's  Falls  Canal  and  its  battery  of  locks  display  the 
greatest  continuous  close-range  procession  of  freight  and  pas- 
senger steamers  in  the  world.  They  are  visited  yearly  by  thou- 
sands of  fascinated  spectators  from  the  ends  of  the  earth.  No- 
where else  on  the  globe  is  there  such  an  example  of  man's 
victory  over  nature's  obstacles.  No  movie  offers  so  gigantic 
and  vibrant  a  panorama,  in  so  beautiful  a  setting.  The  spec- 
tacle never  ceases  during  the  navigation  season,  for  the  ships 
never  cease  coming,  and  hundreds  of  powerful  electric  lamps 
turn  night  into  day. 

The  Sense  of  Power 

At  the  locks  there  is  a  sense  of  power  on  every  hand.  Pow- 
er in  the  monstrous  steel  canoes  of  the  white  man,  slipping  so 
easily  by;  in  the  ponderous  swinging  gates;  in  the  outrush  of 
the  waters  as  the  locks  are  emptied;  in  the  shining  electric  and 
hydraulic  machinery  on  all  sides;  and  most  of  all  in  the  irre- 
sis.able  lifting  of  the  giant  carriers  and  their  cargoes  within  the 
locks  as  the  gateman  moves  his  magic  lever.  It  is  no  wonder 
the  visitor  forgets  his  dinner  in  his  astonishment  and  delight 
at  the  wonders  surrounding  him,  or  pesters  the  lockmen  with 
queries  and  discussions.  Ask  all  the  questions  you  like,  you 
will  never  ruffle  the  good  nature  of  Uncle  Sam's  lockmen. 
ihey  are  famed  for  their  courtesy.  And  they  are  in  all  truth 
among  the  world's  most  useful  men. 

192 


' 

05 
O 

P 


OF  THE 

IN0JS 


The  Magic  of  Transportation 

As  the  lock  gates  swing  here,  our  Government  takes  a  new 
place  among  the  nations.  As  a  direct  result  of  that  easy  step, 
great  ore  pits  deepen  on  the  Mesaba  Range,  and  a  hundred 
thousand  farms  blossom  on  the  western  prairies.  The  flour 
ground  yesterday  in  Duluth  or  Minneapolis  finds  a  market 
a  few  days  hence  in  London.  Bread  is  cheaper  in  a  multitude 
of  foreign  and  domestic  homes  because  of  St.  Mary's  Falls 
Canal;  it  lessened  the  cost  of  the  homes  as  well.  The  copper 
ingots  descending  here  today  will  be  transformed  tomorrow 
into  cables  in  Ceylon,  or  trolley  wires  in  Australia,  or  armatures 
in  Egypt.  Uganda  spans  her  ravines  with  bridges  made  of  this 
cheaply  transported  ore  passing  by;  these  narrow  walls  made 
Pittsburgh  and  Gary  possible.  Our  mighty  dreadnaughts  sailed 
this  inland  waterway  before  they  sniffed  the  salt.  The  loco- 
motives of  Brazil  rode  over  these  stone  sills,  and  so  did  the 
rails  that  bear  them.  In  fine,  St.  Mary's  Falls  Canal  has  been 
a  vital  factor  in  the  country's  supremacy  in  transportation, 
mining,  manufacturing  and  agriculture. 

The  Biggest  Jack-Knife  on  Earth 

The  visitor  may  see  just  above  the  locks  and  spanning  the 
ship  canal,  the  largest  jack-knife  bridge  in  the  world.  Stupen- 
dous in  bulk,  it  is  so  delicately  balanced  that  fifty  electric  horse- 
power suffice  to  set  its  leaves  in  motion,  and  ten  are  ample  to 
keep   them   moving. 

The  water-power  canals  and  power-houses  of  the  Michigan 
Northern  Power  Company  and  the  Edison  Sault  Electric  Com- 
pany confirm  the  Soo  as  an  electric  town.  They  furnish 
electric  current  for  every  conceivable  purpose  except  one.  A 
fortune  is  begging  for  the  genius  who  will  show  us  how  to  heat 
our  buildings  efficiently  and  economically  in  the  winter  season 
with  this  abundant  store  or:  electricity. 

Points  of  Historic  Interest 

Historic  landmarks  include  the  old  warehouse  of  the  Amer- 
ican Fur  Company;  the  site  of  Father  Marquette's  chapel;  St. 
Lusson's  hill,  where  the  French  asserted  dominion  over  the  land, 
and  where  as  well  Governor  Cass  demonstrated  it  for  America; 
the  semi-Centennial  obelisk;  the  Indian  Agency  of  Schoolcraft; 
and  the  old  Johnston  home. 

A  Real  Tourist  Camp 

The  tourist  camp  on  East  Portage  Avenue  is  a  delight  to 
the  automobile  visitor.  Many  conveniences  are  provided  by 
the  city,  and  there  is  an  excellent  bathing  beach  close  at  hand. 

A  Famous  Saulteur 

The  man  or  woman  on  fishing  bent  may  take  counsel  of 

193 


Pete  Vigeant,  prince  of  fishermen,  who  knows  every  rainbow 
trout  in  the  rapids  by  its  first  name.  Pete  is  an  accredited  Soo 
institution  and  a  charter  member  of  The  Ancient  and  Honorable 
Fraternity  of  Fishermen.  He  has  been  the  subject  of  countless 
magazine  articles  and  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  sporting 
journals. 

Near  By  Beauty  Spots 

Favorite  resorting  places  near  the  city,  easily  reached  by 
car,  are  Les  Cheneaux  Islands,  Cedarville  and  Hessel  (The 
Snows),  with  a  dozen  or  more  hotels;  Alcott  Beach  and  the 
Pierce  Inn,  Brimley;  lLadd's  Beach,  with  excellent  bathing  in 
the  back  bay,  at  Bay  Mills;  Dollar  Settlement  and  Mission  Hill 
on  the  shore  beyond  the  Chippewa  blueberry  plains;  The  Shal- 
lows, up  the  river;  Harmony  Beach,  below  the  city;  Birch 
Lodge  at  Trout  lLake;  DeTour  and  Albany;  and  the  Seaman 
Inn  on  Drummond  Island.  Mackinac  Island  and  St.  Ignace  are 
a  short  sixty  miles  away,  via  excellent  roads,  or  a  little  farther 
through  the  loveliest  waterway  on  the  continent.  Pleasant 
Park  and  Wilwalk  are  reached  by  boat  from  the  Soo,  Oak 
Ridge  Park  and  Encampment  by  boat  or  car.  The  state  park 
will  be  opened  at  Brimley  in  1924,  and  it  is  hoped  that  another 
will  be  in  readiness  a  year  later  at  Hulbert  Lake. 

The  Canadian  Soo 

No  one  ever  visits  the  American  Soo  without  seeing  its 
Canadian  twin,  or  vice  versa.  A  trip  over  the  Algoma  Central 
Railway  past  Montreal  Falls  and  through  Agawa  Canyon  is 
one  to  be  remembered  for  life.  There  is  nothing  else  to  com- 
pare with  it  east  of  the  Rockies. 

One  may  see  in  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Ontario,  an  800  foot 
lock,  the  largest  paper  mill  and  the  greatest  steel  plant  in 
Canada.  The  first  lock  built  in  Canada  has  been  restored  and 
is  on  view  to  visitors.  Near  by,  at  Garden  River,  is  an  Indian 
village, — a  bit  of  old  Canada.  There  are  many  splendid 
drives  back  of  the  city, — to  Gros  Cap,  Bellevue,  Crystal  Falls 
and  the  Landslide,  Sylvan  Valley,  Gordon  Lake,  Rock  Lake, 
Basswood  Lake,  Bruce  and  Thessalon,  and  St.  Joseph's  Island. 
There  is  excellent  steamer  service  to  all  points  on  the  north 
shore  of  Lake  Superior,  and  to  the  Thirty  Thousand  Islands  of 
Georgian  Bay. 

A  Great  Summer  Menu 

Good  hotels  in  both  cities  and  an  out-of-the-ordinary  tour- 
ist camp  in  the  Michigan  Soo,  complete  a  list  of  ingredients 
which  insure  a  feast  to  the  summer  visitor.  Both  communities 
are  famed  for  their  hospitality,  they  are  wide  awake  and  pro- 
gressive, and  duly  appreciate  of  the  rapidly  expanding  tourist 
trade. 

194 


The  Soo  Changes  Its  Government 

Dissatisfied  with  the  old  ward  and  alderrnanic  system 
under  which  the  city  government  had  functioned  from  the 
eighties,  the  electors  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Michigan,  voted  in 
1917  for  a  new  charter  and  a  change  to  government  by  com- 
mission. 

A  Charter  Commission  was  appointed,  consisting  of  the  fol- 
lowing representative  citizens:  Francis  T.  McDonald,  chair- 
man; A.  J.  Eaton,  clerk;  Frank  P.  Sullivan,  John  P.  Connolly, 
Wm.  M.  Sneil,  Edward  Stevens,  Geo.  P.  McCallum,  and  J.  L. 
iLipsett.  These  gentlemen  drew  up  the  new  charter,  and  at 
the  election  following  Mark  Tynion  became  the  first  Mayor 
under  the  new  form.  Two  years  later  he  was  succeeded  by 
Francis  T.  McDonald.  Commission  government  was  proved  a 
success,  and  few  Saulteurs  would  consider  a  return  to  the  old 
regime. 

City  Officers  in  1923 

The  present  city  officials,  elected  .  nd  appointed,  are: 
Mayor,  George  O.  Comb;  City  Manager,  Henry  A.  Sherman; 
Commissioners,  J.  N.  Adams,  R.  R.  Beyer,  Phil.  Jacobs,  Robt. 
Nimmo.  Board  of  Education:  Dr.  Geo.  P.  Ritchie,  president; 
Chas.  G.  Clarke,  secretary;  Isaac  De  Young,  treasurer;  Jos. 
MacLachlan  and  Chas.  G.  Lampman.  Superintendent  of 
Schools,  Geo.  G.  Malcolm.  Officers  and  heads  of  depart- 
ments appointed  by  the  city  manager:  City  Engineer,  V.  B. 
Redfern;  Superintendent  of  Streets,  Samuel  Horry;  Water 
Works  Superintendent,  Kenneth  McLay;  Engineer  pumping  sta- 
tion, B.  F.  Kelly;  Sexton,  Andrew  Sayres;  Health  Officer,  Dr. 
J.  J.  Griffin;  Sanitary  Inspector,  Dan  O'Connell;  Visiting  Nurse, 
Eithleen  Rowe;  Director  City  Band,  Thos.  H.  Hanson;  Chief 
of  Police,  Capt.  J.  F.  Young;  Chief  of  Fire  Department,  Frank 
Trombley. 

Board  members  appointed  by  the  City  Commission;  Carnegie 
Library  Board,  T.  R.  Easterday,  chairman;  K.  Christofferson, 
secretary;  John  P.  Wessel,  L.  C.  Sabin,  Stanley  Newton. 
Librarian,  Alice  Clapp.  Park  Commission,  L.  C.  Sabin,  chair- 
man; W.  S.  Chapin,  secretary;  Geo.  S.  Wescott,  Chas.  E.  Chip- 
ley,  V.  R.  Conway. 

County  Officials  in  1923 

The  present  county  officials  are:  Hon.  Louis  H.  Fead,  Cir- 
cuit Judge;  Hon.  Chas.  H.  Chapman,  Judge  of  Probate;  Arza 
M.  Swart,  Sheriff;  Sam  C.  Taylor,  County  Clerk;  John  A. 
France,  Court  Stenographer;  John  A.  Colwell  and  F.  B.  Kaltz, 
Circuit  Court  Commissioners;  Anna  E.  McDonald,  County 
Treasurer;  Edward  Thompson,  Register  of  Deeds;  M.  M.  Lar- 
month,   Prosecuting  Attorney;  F.  H.   Brown,  County  Surveyor; 

195 


George  J.  Dickison  and  A.  E.  Lemon,  Coroners;  J.  W.  Sparling, 
R.  B.  Holmes,  and  Jas.  A.  Troutt,  Superintendents  of  Poor; 
Thos.  B.  Aldrich,  School  Commissioner;  A.  J.  Short,  R.  R. 
Reinhart,  and  T.  J.  Watchorn,  Road  Commissioners;  (Louis 
Levin,   County  Engineer. 

The  Supervisors  of  the  various  townships  in  1923  are: 
Bay  Mills,  C.  R.  Ladd;  Bruce,  John  A.  McKee;  Chippewa,  Geo. 
W.  Warner;  Dafter,  A.  E.  Curtis;  DeTour,  John  F.  Goetz; 
Drummond,  Earl  E.  Bailey;  Hulbert,  Chas.  Johnson;  Kinross, 
Albert  Curtis;  Pickford,  George  Watson;  Raber,  F.  X.  Schuster; 
Rudyard,  John  Bergsma;  Soo,  Wm.  H.  Miller;  Sugar  Island, 
Wm.  Walker;  Superior,  John  Gleason;  Trout  Lake,  Wm.  Hay- 
ward;  Whitefish,  Thomas  H.  Savage. 

Homecoming  Week 

In  July,  1922,  Commissioner  John  N.  Adams  offered  a 
resolution  at  a  meeting  of  the  Commission,  sponsoring  a  Home- 
coming Week  in  T923  for  all  Saulteurs  throughout  the  world. 
The  idea  was  enthusiastically  adopted  and  energetically  car- 
ried out  by  the  people  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

Fourth  of  July  Week  was  selected  for  the  welcome.  The 
Civic  &  Commercial  association  under  President  Arthur  Daw- 
son, functioning  through  its  Publicity  Committee  with  Norman 
H.  Hill  as  Chairman,  sent  5,000  invitations  to  former  Sooites 
and  Chippewayans,  soliciting  their  presence  Homecoming  Week. 
Lists  of  names  were  obtained  from  many  sources,  one  country 
store  alone  sending  400  addresses  of  former  residents. 

A  Spontaneous  Response 

The  response  was  gratifying  indeed.  Thousands  came,  and 
were  glad  they  had  come.  Entertainment  in  abundance  was 
provided  daily,  there  was  a  big  community  picnic,  and  a  mon- 
ster parade  graced  by  the  queen  of  the  week,  Miss  Lena  Ladd, 
and  her  maids.  A  day  was  set  apart  for  the  reception  of  Soo, 
Ontario,  and  Algoma  citizens.  They  came  with  the  greatest  of 
good-will,  in  masses  that  swamped  the  trains  and  ferries.  Sel- 
dom has  the  city  entertained  such  crowds, 

"I  Remember  When'* 

The  local  newspapers  gave  the  affair  an  endless  amount  of 
publicity,  and  The  Evening  News  published  a  booklet,  "I  Re- 
member When,"  filled  with  recollections  of  former  days  by 
many  old  timers.  It  stimulated  a  healthy  home  town  spirit  and 
resulted  in  the  collection  of  much  interesting  and  historically 
valuable  data. 

It  is  proposed  to  collect  and  publish  separately  in  as  com- 
plete a  form  as  possible  the  data  and  chronology  of  Sault  Ste. 
Marie's  and  Chippewa's  activities  in  the  World  War.    Present 

196 


records  are  scattered  and  incomplete.  Justice  and  gratitude  to 
our  soldiers  and  sailors  demand  that  a  permanent  record  of 
their  deeds  shall  be  preserved  for  their  posterity  and  for  all 
of  us. 

The  City  Finds  Itself 

Visitors  pronounced  the  city  more  beautiful  than  they  had 
ever  seen  it.  Community  spirit  had  been  aroused  and  refreshed 
by  the  occasion,  and  the  town  put  on  a  new  dress  as  it  were 
to  receive  its  guests.  The  civic  benefits  were  tremendous  and 
undoubtedly  will  be  lasting.  Sault  Ste.  Marie  found  itself  as 
never  before,  and  so  complete  was  the  success  of  Mr.  Adams 
idea  that  a  Homecoming  Week  will  be  celebrated  every  five 
years  in  the  city  by  the  rapids  for  all  time  to  come. 

The  Historical  Society 

Some  years  ago  Judge  Charles  H.  Chapman  instituted  a 
Michigan  Pioneer  and  Historical  Society  Chapter  in  Sault  Ste. 
Marie.  A  beginning  has  been  made  in  marking  local  points  of 
historic  interest,  of  which  there  are  many.  The  society  collab- 
orated with  the  public  and  parochial  schools  of  the  city  in  the 
staging  of  a  wonderfully  beautiful  historical  pageant  in  Brady 
Field  in  June,  1920,  under  the  supervision  of  Miss  Edith  Eicher. 
The  pageant  was  enacted  on  precisely  the  one  hundredth  anni- 
versary of  the  coming  of  Governor  Lewis  Cass  to  Sault  Ste. 
Marie,  and  within  a  few  rods  of  the  spot  where  he  hauled 
down  the  flag  of  Great  Britain. 

The  Historic  Hill  and  Ravine 

The  romantic  history  of  the  locality  is  to  many  one  of  its 
chief  attractions.  A  halo  of  historical  interest  hovers  over  the 
ravine  in  Brady  Field  and  the  little  hill  near  by.  Once  the  ra- 
vine debouched  upon  the  shore  of  the  river,  a  natural  landing 
place,  long  before  the  making  of  Brady  Field.  Ere  the  coming 
of  the  whites,  this  cleft  in  the  bank  endured  the  tread  of  many 
an  Indian  potentate  and  warrior,  hither  bound  for  council,  for 
war  or  for  food. 

These  Came  in  Canoes 

It  is  likely  that  Brule  and  Grenolle  landed  there,  at  the  foot 
Gf  the  rapids.  A  glorious  band  followed  them.  Nicolet  stood 
at  the  top  of  the  ravine  and  looked  westward  for  China. 
Jogues  and  Raymbault  ministered  to  the  Indians  and  raised  the 
first  cross  near  by.  Joliet  and  Pere,  De  Lusson,  Allouez,  Radis- 
son  and  Groseilliers,  Charlevoix,  Menard,  Marquette,  Dablon, 
La  Hontan,  Tonty,  Dollier,  Galinee  and  Cadillac;  Du  L'hut  and 
Albanel;  de  Repentigny,  Henry  and  Cadotte;  Selkirk,  Carver, 
Astor,  Johnston,  and  all  the  rest;  what  a  mighty  host  were  they 
of  explorers,   voyageurs,  swashbuckling  soldiers,   rollicking  ad- 

197 


venturers  and  dauntless  priests,  lusting  for  discovery,  for  great 
undertakings,  for  furs  and  for  souls. 

The  Steamboat  Comes 

After  them,  when  the  steamboat  was  crowding  the  canoe 
to  the  banks,  Cass  came,  a  looming  figure  in  Michigan  history, 
and  he  made  history  here.  With  him  came  Schoolcraft,  and  the 
latter  remained  and  become  one  of  the  greatest  of  our  citizens. 
There  followed  McKenney  and  Brady;  Bingham  and  Baraga; 
Mrs.  Jameson  and  Franchere;  Peter  White  and  Agassiz,  Kohl 
and  Easterday,  Weitzel  and  Poe  and  more;  history  makers  and 
history  recorders,  doing  their  share  to  bring  a  vast  region  into 
recognition  and  a  city  into  being. 

The  Overland  Route 

Finally,  on  the  overland  route  came  Mead  and  Fowle,  es- 
tablishing the  first  bank  and  giving  the  signal,  as  the  chronicler 
says,  for  business  to  go  ahead;  Steere,  Sutton  and  Chapman, 
exemplifying  and  administering  the  law  in  a  district  once  noted 
for  lawlessness;  Clergue,  the  inspired  dreamer  and  doer;  Os- 
born,  foremost  citizen,  magnetic  in  personality  and  surpassing 
in  oratory,  climbing  from  unpropitious  beginnings  to  the  Gov- 
ernorship of  his  State. 

These  and  a  multitude  of  others  have  sojourned  here.  Some 
of  them  are  with  us  now,  adding  their  meed  of  service  to  that  of 
the  men  and  women  living  here  and  who  were  born  here,  and 
enjoying  with  them  the  benefits  of  life  in  one  of  the  finest  com- 
munities in  all  the  earth. 


This  is  the  Hiawatha  Country,  discovered  by  Schoolcraft 
and  immortalized  by  Longfellow.  Gitchi  Manito  still  broods 
benignly  over  its  lands,  its  forests  and  its  lakes.  Manibosho  and 
his  wife  still  sleep  a  long  sleep  on  the  rocky  shore,  awaiting  the 
day  when  Pau-puk-kee-wis  shall  awaken  them  with  his  magic 
runes. 

With  his  right  hand  Hiawatha 
Smote  amain  the  hollow  oak  tree, 
Rent  it  into  shreds  and  splinters. 
Left  it  lying  there  in  fragments, 
But  in  vain,  for  Pau-puk-kee-wis, 
Once  again  in  human  figure, 
Full  in  sight  ran  on  before  him, 
Sped  away  in  gust  and  whirlwind, 
On  the  shores  of  Gitchee-Gumee, 
Westward  by  the  Big-Sea-Water, 
Came  unto  the  rocky  headlands, 
To  the  Pictured  Rocks  of  Sandstone, 
Looking  over  lake  and  landscape, 

198 


THE  SOO  LOCKS  AT  EVENING. 

I  like  the  locks  at  evening  best, 
When  suns  grow  golden  in  the  west 
And  linger  on  their  outward  quest. 

The  searching  suns,  who  scan  the  sphere, 
Nor  match  from  swinging  year  to  year 
The  loveliness  unfolded  here, 

They  linger,  as  if  loath  to  sink 
Beyond  old  Gitchi  Gumi's  brink. 

When  they  grow  golden-pink  and  white, 
Halting  the  squadrons  of  the  night, 
They  ring  the  clouds  with  chrysolite, 

And  crown  these  roofless  channeled  halls 
Whose  guests  are  ships,  these  gates  and  walls, 
A  Held  for  fairy  festivals. 

When  suns  grow  golden  in  the  west, 
I  love  the  locks  at  evening  best. 


199 


-  I  mmm  I  m  - 


